Gagik Tsarukyan was detained after a search.

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Law enforcement detained the leader of the "Prosperous Armenia" party, Gagik Tsarukyan. He is suspected of fraud and money laundering as part of an organized group. Several opposition forces in Armenia called Tsarukyan's detention political persecution.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on the afternoon of July 6, investigators conducted searches at the home of the leader of "Prosperous Armenia" Gagik Tsarukyan and at all his companies.

Law enforcement detained the leader of "Prosperous Armenia" Gagik Tsarukyan and brought him to court to choose a preventive measure in the form of arrest, News.am reported on July 6, citing his lawyer Yerem Sarukyan.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia reported the initiation of public criminal prosecution against Tsarukyan in a case of organizing fraud and money laundering on a particularly large scale. The investigation believes that from 2022 to 2024, Tsarukyan organized the activities of a group of individuals suspected of committing fraud and money laundering. Under the pretext of trade and economic ties with Iran, the mentioned individuals reached agreements with citizens of that country, created joint legal entities, and, using a scheme for organizing logistics transportation, imported 52 vehicles, equipment, fuel, and other goods into Armenia. After importation, customs declarations and other documents were forged, and property worth about 8.13 billion drams (over 21 million dollars) was fraudulently appropriated. The mentioned individuals are also suspected of forging import documentation and alienating part of the goods based on forged documents, "News-Armenia" reports.

Tsarukyan, as the investigation claims, was the actual beneficiary of a company registered in Armenia, entered into a criminal conspiracy with an entrepreneur engaged in the import and sale of fuel, and organized the fraudulent appropriation of 934 thousand dollars from a citizen of Iran as part of a fuel supply deal.

As part of the investigation, law enforcement conducted searches at more than 70 addresses in over ten criminal cases, seizing documents and items of significance for the investigation, including vehicles that the investigation considers stolen.

In addition to Tsarukyan, another alleged participant of the group was brought to court, and a detention order was issued for another figure.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia also reported that three lions and one tiger were seized from Tsarukyan's mansion and transported to the Yerevan Zoo. Additionally, 190 stuffed animals and birds were found and seized in the house. The lions and tiger are considered physical evidence, and the Investigative Committee claims that illegal hunting caused damage to the environment amounting to 30 million drams. Other animals were also discovered in the house, which are planned to be seized and transferred for responsible storage in the coming days.

Several opposition forces in Armenia issued a joint statement in support of Tsarukyan. "We strongly condemn the actions of the authorities against Tsarukyan, as well as the searches at his enterprises," the statement said, which was signed by the ARFD "Dashnaktsutyun", the national-civic union "Ayakve", the "Armenian National Congress" party, the Republican Party of Armenia, "Prosperous Armenia", "Democratic Alternative", "Mother Armenia", and the Democratic Party of Armenia.

The authors of the statement called the pressure on citizens for their political views, political position, or opposition activities unacceptable, describing it as political persecution of the opposition and dissenters.

Recall that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated during the election campaign in May that the "Araratcement" plant, owned by the family of the leader of the opposition "Prosperous Armenia" Gagik Tsarukyan, would be nationalized. After that, the prosecutor's office reported a case regarding violations during the privatization of the enterprise. Before the elections, the prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit in court demanding the annulment of the privatization of the "Araratcement" enterprise.

Earlier, seven parties appealed to the Constitutional Court regarding the final decision of the Central Electoral Commission on the parliamentary elections. The Constitutional Court of Armenia rejected the claims of the seven political forces challenging the results of the parliamentary elections on June 7 and upheld the decision of the Central Electoral Commission on the voting results. The "Prosperous Armenia" party, led by Gagik Tsarukyan, along with other Armenian political parties, previously issued a statement about the illegitimacy of the authorities and plans to seek their removal.

The parliamentary elections effectively became a referendum on the future of the current authorities and Armenia's foreign policy course. A reference titled "Elections 2026 for the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia" has been published on the "Caucasian Knot".