The hearing of the appeal on the custody case of former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Secretary of the National Security Council, Armen Gevorgyan, resumed on Thursday at the Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia.

The defense did not receive a copy of the appeal filed by the prosecutor's office and did not have the opportunity to prepare written objections.

The Prosecutor General’s Office has appealed the first instance court decision on denying the petition that Gevorgyan be remanded in custody.

Also, the defense has partially appealed this court decision. Gevorgyan’s attorney, Erik Aleksanyan, has motioned that the Criminal Court of Appeal leave the first instance court decision in force and, also, consider substantiated the absence of the reasonable suspicion which the Criminal Code specifies.

On December 14, 2018 the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction denied the Special Investigation Service’s petition that Armen Gevorgyan—who was serving as Secretary of the National Security Council during the events that occurred in downtown Yerevan, in March 2008—be remanded in custody.

On December 12, several new criminal charges were filed 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.

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.

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.