YEREVAN. – Vazgen Khachikyan’s attorney Zhora Varosyan is preparing the petition wherewith they will appeal the recent judgment by the court of first instance.

On December 8, Khachikyan, the former Chief of the State Social Security Service of Armenia, who was charged with fraud and embezzlement of large public funds, was found guilty by the court and sentenced to twelve years in prison.

“We will appeal not solely the sentence, but the legal qualification of the act.

“Once the petition is prepared, I will consult with my client in detail, and we will submit the appeal to the Criminal Court of Appeal,” the attorney told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to the indictment, Vazgen Khachikyan, together with several other Service officials and persons in charge, had appropriated, from 2006 to 2010, suspended pensions totaling 267,266,000 drams (approx. $593,745).