By Tatev Mesropyan

YEREVAN. - Serop Der-Boghossian—the 70-year-old proprietor of Armenia’s Akhtala Mine Enrichment Plant and American-Armenian businessman, who is now in an Armenian prison for pedophilia—is suffering from intestinal cancer, Der-Boghossian’s attorney Givi Hovhannisyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In his words, Serop Der-Boghossian suffers from cancer for a long time, and he had undergone treatment in US. But his illness aggravated, since he could no longer receive treatment because of his jail term. “He is currently undergoing examination, and he will receive precise treatment soon,” Hovhannisyan stated.   

In response to the query as to whether Der-Boghossian’s illness could result in his early parole, Der-Boghossian’s attorney said: “This is not for me to decide.”

And to the question as to whether Serop Der-Boghossian could continue his treatment in US, Givi Hovhannisyan replied: “They gave him 15 years. What US? Even if an issue of operation were to come about, I cannot unequivocally say whether he would be operated on in prison, or in hospital.”     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, on November 17, 2011, Armenian court sentenced Serop Der-Boghossian to the maximum 15 years in prison on pedophilia charges. Der-Boghossian’s attorneys have appealed the ruling.