Defense lawyers appeal against Armenian magnate’s arrestJuly 21, 2014 - 15:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Defense lawyers for Levon Hayrapetyan, the Russian-Armenian businessman-philanthropist arrested in Moscow last week, have appealed against the law enforcement authorities' decision to keep their client behind bars, Tert.am reported. “We appeal to the Moscow City Court to replace the ruling, because it is illegal and groundless,” lawyer Ruben Margaryan told the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS. Official charges are due this Thursday, July 24. The 65-year-old businessman was detained over alleged links with a criminal group. Russian law enforcers also imposed a lien on his shares of $900,000 in the oil company Bashneft. Hayrapetyan refuses to plead guilty in money laundering case in which he is allegedly involved. A testimony by Igor Izmestev, a former senator now serving a life sentence, is said to have led to Hayrapetyan’s arrest. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |