YEREVAN. – There are no grounds and conditions for arresting Armenia’s Former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, his attorney Erik Aleksanyan on Thursday told reporters at the capital city Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction.
The court continues to consider the Special Investigation Service’s petition that the former official be remanded in custody.
Several new criminal charges have been filed Wednesday against Gevorgyan; they are: taking a very large bribe by an official, committing very large-scale money laundering, and aiding in breaching Armenia’s constitutional order.
Erik Aleksanyan informed that the bribe-taking and money laundering cases were being investigated along the lines of the criminal case into what had occurred in Yerevan in March 2008, and that Gevorgyan had testified in connection with the new charges that were brought against him.
As per the attorney, Armen Gevorgyan had not attempt to hide, and he will not hide.
The legal defender added that even though they find that there are no grounds and conditions for arresting Gevorgyan, should the court see such grounds later on, they will motion that Gevorgyan be released on bail.
Asked whether the ex-deputy PM has had any contact with second President Robert Kocharyan—since they both are accused in the same criminal case, the attorney gave a negative response.
The court hearing on determining Gevorgyan’s preventive measure is held behind closed doors.
Gevorgyan was already charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the criminal case into the tragic events that occurred in Yerevan, in March 2008. The investigative agency had enforced a signature bond to not leave Armenia as a preventive measure for him.
According to the respective statement by the Special Investigation Service, from February 28 to March 8, 2008 the Constitutional Court (CC) had considered the case on challenging the Central Electoral Commission’s February 24, 2008 decision on the election of the new President of Armenia.
Aiming to obstruct the serving of constitutional justice on this case, however, Armen Gevorgyan had abused his official position, and instructed—through indirect channels—the CC judge examining this case that it was indispensable to make a decision of upholding the results of the presidential election that was conducted in February 2008.
On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes. But no one had been brought to account for these deaths, to this day.
