During a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Levon Sahakyan, defense attorney of Armenia’s ex-deputy minister of education, science, culture and sport Gevorg Loretsyan, reported that the court has extended Loretsyan’s term of custody for another two months and added that even though he has appealed the court’s decision to the Criminal Court of Appeal, the presiding judge left the decision unchanged.

On December 5, Gevorg Loretsyan, his driver and the president of a football club were detained and later arrested on suspicion of receiving a bribe.

Based on the preliminary data obtained by the National Security Service of Armenia, during the tenders for obtaining sport equipment and sportswear to meet the needs of institutions under the subordination of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the deputy minister supported a businessman who is the president of a football club in Armenia and the de facto head of several supplying companies. With the help of his driver, the deputy minister agreed to receive a bribe in particularly large amounts, if the businessman won the tender.