The planned seizure of the horses and pheasants from the residence of businessman and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan has been postponed. Lawyer Hovhannes Vardanyan announced the development while speaking to reporters.

Plans to seize Tsarukyan's domestic animals became public on July 13, Sputnik Armenia reported.

"The seizure order was issued on July 10, but technical problems arose regarding transportation. The authorities were then expected to carry out the seizure today, but for reasons unknown to us, it has not happened, and we do not know why. We are now challenging the investigator's decision through legal procedures because these are domestic animals and cannot be considered objects of criminal proceedings," Vardanyan said.

He noted that Tsarukyan's residence houses 11 horses and one pony, all of which are accustomed to their current environment, require special care, and could suffer harm if relocated.

Asked whether there were concerns that these animals could face the same fate as one of the lions that died after being sedated for transport to the zoo, Vardanyan said the defense had proposed before the procedural actions began that the animals be recognized as physical evidence and left in their custody. However, the Investigative Committee decided to transfer them to the zoo.

"We saw what happened," Vardanyan said.

Lawyer Emin Khachatryan told Pastinfo that authorities would likely also attempt to seize the pheasants, even though they roam freely and are not kept in cages.

"A few days ago, they came intending to carry out such actions. Naturally, our colleagues objected because the horses are domestic animals, and there is nothing unlawful about keeping horses on private property, especially when all the necessary and appropriate conditions are in place. That day, the investigator recorded that the seizure could not be carried out, but we nevertheless have information and concerns that another attempt may follow.

I believe they will also try to seize other animals unrelated to wild species, for example, the pheasants, which live completely freely and are not kept in cages. Frankly, I do not understand how they intend to seize the pheasants," he said.

Commenting on the earlier seizure of Tsarukyan's wild animals, Khachatryan argued that the crocodiles had lived in better conditions before being transferred to the zoo.

"The wild animals were seized and taken away. For example, nine crocodiles were placed in enclosures designed for only two. But I can assure you that where they previously lived, conditions were 100 times better, and they received better care and feeding than they can now receive at the zoo," the lawyer said.

On July 6, the Investigative Committee announced that after searches at Tsarukyan's residence, three lions and one tiger had been transferred to Yerevan Zoo. However, Yerevan Zoo's deputy director for scientific affairs, Ashot Aslanyan, said the zoo had received three lions and four tigers. On July 7, it became known that one of the lions had died. The Investigative Committee said the circumstances surrounding the female lion's failure to recover from sedation would be examined within the same criminal case in which the animals were recognized as physical evidence.