The court hearing over the case of member of the opposition ‘Armenia’ bloc, Director of Izmirlian Medical Center and doctor Armen Charchyan began in the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction today.

Charchyan is charged with giving bribes to voters, taking bribes, violating the ban on charity during elections, or obstructing the exercise of a voter’s free will.

An audio recording was disseminated on the Internet in which Charchyan urges his employees of Izmirlian Medical Center to participate in the snap parliamentary elections. According to the defense, the edited version of the audio recording was submitted to the court, and in the full version of the audio recording, there was no threat made to or pressure on the employees.