The anti-corruption court in Armenia has remanded pro-Russian ex-president Robert Kocharyan, who is suspected of criminal bribery and money laundering schemes, in custody for two months.
This is reported by the Armenian service of Radio Liberty.
The arrest was considered without the ex-president himself, as he was transferred to the hospital. His youngest son, Levon Kocharyan, reported that two weeks ago his father underwent surgery to install a stent in his heart.
The detaineeʼs lawyer Aram Orbelian stated that Kocharian was discharged from the hospital and transferred to a correctional facility in Yerevan.
Two days ago, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia detained six people, including Robert Kocharyan, his son, and four others. The investigation believes that the ex-president and his accomplices illegally bought up state property at undervalued prices and legalized it through shell companies and third parties.
Other cases of Robert Kocharyan
Robert Kocharyan was the President of Armenia from 1998 to 2008. In 2008, the Armenian opposition, led by the first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who ran for president and lost, held rallies in central Yerevan against the results of the vote. The protests turned into riots and clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers, resulting in ten deaths and over 200 injuries.
At that time, former President Kocharyan and other defendants in the “March 1 case” were charged with overthrowing the constitutional order in Armenia. The case was closed in 2021.
In the second case, Kocharyan was accused of receiving a particularly large bribe ($3 million) from businessman Silva Hambardzumyan. This case was closed in 2023 due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
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