Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, was questioned by Armenia’s Investigative Committee on June 10. He was formally charged under an article related to tax evasion on an especially large scale.

Investigators selected a travel ban as a preventive measure against Tsarukyan. The information was confirmed by the Investigative Committee, Factor.am reports.

Earlier on June 10, reports emerged that Tsarukyan had intended to leave Armenia for several days but the trip did not take place. After media outlets reported that he had attempted to leave the country but was unable to do so, his spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan stated that Tsarukyan and his wife had planned a private family visit lasting two to three days.

Tonoyan wrote: “When Gagik Tsarukyan was told at the airport passport checkpoint that something needed to be clarified, he replied that there was no need to clarify anything and that if the situation could give rise to other interpretations, he would cancel the trip and return home. I understand that pro-government media in today’s Armenia believe they have a free hand to write anything, but there are things that are truly unacceptable.”

It later became known that criminal proceedings had been initiated against Tsarukyan under an article concerning tax evasion on an especially large scale. His lawyer stated that the Prosecutor’s Office had not applied to the Central Electoral Commission and that the issue of lifting the immunity of Tsarukyan, who is a parliamentary candidate in the National Assembly elections, had not been resolved.