YEREVAN. – Several months ago, Armenia’s ex-MP and retired General Manvel Grigoryan refused to petition to the European Court of Human Rights, regarding his custody matter, said Levon Baghdasaryan, one of his attorneys, at a press conference on Monday.

“When the courts were granting the petitions—to arrest Manvel Grigoryan—by the body conducting the proceedings, we proposed Manvel Grigoryan to petition to the European Court,” the attorney said. “But he refused, arguing, ‘I will not sue Armenia.’”

And reflecting on the reports that Grigoryan intends to leave for France for medical treatment, Baghdasaryan said as follows, in particular. “He now has the status of a defendant, and it’s not known yet whether or not he will go to France.”

The attorney added that Manvel Grigoryan had not been found guilty of the charges that are brought against him yet, and there was no need to remand him in custody at this point.

The Criminal Court of Appeal on Tuesday will issue its ruling on the attorney general’s office appeal of the first instance court’s decision on releasing Manvel Grigoryan from prison on bail.

On December 21, 2018 the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction released Manvel Grigoryan from custody on an AMD 25mn (approx. US$51,600) bail. The Prosecutor General’s Office, however, has appealed this decision to the Criminal Court of Appeal.

Grigoryan was remanded in custody on June 19, and by the decision of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction.

He is charged with unlawfully acquiring and possessing weapons and ammunition, as well as committing large-scale embezzlement. In particular, it is about the appropriation of the aid that was sent during the days of the four-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), in April 2016.