House arrest for former Education Minister Ashotyan has been extended for three months.
The Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia extended the measure of restraint in the form of house arrest for three months against the former Minister of Education and Science, Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party, Armen Ashotyans.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in early June, the court in Armenia placed the former Minister of Education, Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party, Armen Ashotyans, under arrest in a case of money laundering and abuse of power. The supporter of the former president was arrested against the backdrop of the RPA's refusal to participate in the parliamentary elections.
Armen Ashotyan is the former Minister of Education and Science of Armenia, and he became one of the high-ranking officials against whom the Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case for abuse of power and money laundering. In this case, former Minister of Defense Vigen Sargsyan, former Minister of Finance Gagik Khachaturyan and his son Artem, as well as the former rector and vice-rector of Brusov State University, were also arrested, reported "Armenpress".
As part of the investigation conducted by the Investigative Committee, it was established that from 2009 to 2016, while serving as Minister of Education and Science, Armen Ashotyan, acting in concert with a group of individuals and using his official position, facilitated the illegal alienation of real estate with an area of 451.1 square meters, which was provided to Brusov University, reported the publication "News-Armenia".
According to the investigation, the value of the property was 208.9 million drams (about 575 thousand dollars). It was removed from the state property fund of Armenia and transferred to the ownership of a high-ranking official and a person associated with him.
The investigation also obtained data that in order to conceal the true ownership of the property and its criminal origin, the real estate was initially registered in the name of another person, after which it was purchased for 75 million drams (about 205 thousand dollars) by Artem Khachaturyan - the son of former Minister of Finance Gagik Khachaturyan.
It is specified that criminal prosecution has been initiated against seven individuals under articles on abuse of official powers and complicity in this, as well as on large-scale money laundering and complicity in the legalization of criminal proceeds.
Armen Ashotyan does not recognize the charges against him and calls it political persecution.
The state prosecutor Mane Safaryan demanded to extend the house arrest of Armen Ashotyan for another three months, while leaving the travel ban unchanged, reports the publication armlife.am.
Defense attorney Tigran Atanesyan stated that the case has no relation to law and justice, and requested to cancel the measure of restraint applied to Ashotyan without choosing another one, as there is no need for it. A similar demand was made by lawyer Ruben Melikyan. However, the court granted the prosecution's request and extended Armen Ashotyan's house arrest for another three months.
"This measure of restraint hinders my political and expert activities. Moreover, it hinders my ability to defend myself in the case of illegally acquired property. I need to collect documents, but how can I do this at home?" Ashotyan himself stated.
It should be noted that the Republican Party of Armenia will not participate in the elections "for the first time in the 36 years of the party's existence," said in April a member of the executive body of the RPA, Artak Zakaryan. Earlier, the leader of the RPA, former president Serzh Sargsyan, explained the party's refusal to participate in the elections by the desire to "give people the opportunity to express their will soberly, without emotions, and to allow other opposition forces to implement their promise of a change of power through elections without hindrance."
"Caucasian Knot" also reported that a criminal case against National Assembly deputy Narek Karapetyan and the head of the executive body of the "Strong Armenia" party, Alik Aleksanyan, has been submitted for consideration by the Anti-Corruption Court.