Ashotyan's detention extended by one month

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former Education and Science Minister and Republican Party Vice Chairman Armen Ashotyan will remain in pretrial detention for another month.

His lawyer, Ruben Melikyan, told reporters that Anti-Corruption Court Judge Aram Grigoryan had partially granted the investigator's request, according to Sputnik Armenia.

“Only a very small portion of the investigative actions carried out concerned Armen Ashotyan. We will receive the court ruling and appeal it before the Court of Appeal. Every time we enter the courtroom, we still have hope because the case is completely groundless. The detention has been extended by one month, so apparently the investigative body is expected to work much faster and more diligently,” Melikyan said.

He added that the defense has not yet received the written court decision.

Ashotyan has been in custody since June 5.

On June 5, Armenia's Investigative Committee issued detention orders for seven former officials, including Armen Ashotyan. The committee disclosed only their initials, stating that the criminal proceedings concern the alleged abuse of official powers and money laundering involving property worth about 200 million drams.

According to investigators, Ashotyan, acting together with others, abused his official position and assisted former finance minister Gagik Khachatryan and his son, Artyom Khachatryan, in acquiring property that was not subject to privatization.

The Investigative Committee alleges that a corruption scheme was used to transfer from the State Property Fund a 451.1-square-meter property at 38/1 Pushkin Street, apartment 59, in Yerevan, valued at 208.9 million drams, together with the land regarded as its inseparable part, for non-educational use into the ownership of Gagik Khachatryan and his son.