YEREVAN. – The capital city Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction on Monday yet again denied the motion by the attorneys of Armenia’s ex-MP and Yerkrapah (Defender of the Land) Volunteer Union Board ex-Chairman, retired General Manvel Grigoryan, to release him on a 10mn-dram (approx. US$20,770) bail.   

Arsen Mkrtchyan, one of Grigoryan’s legal defender, told this to reporters. He noted that this time, however, the court has made a lawful decision, and based on the fact that the criminal case has been sent to court.

Ten months have passed since the first court ruling on remanding Manvel Grigoryan in custody. The former MP was first remanded on June 19, 2018.

Manvel Grigoryan is charged with illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, and with the prior consent of his wife, Nazik Amiryan, his son, Arman Grigoryan, and several other persons not-yet-determined by the investigation; appropriation of the property allocated to meet the needs of military servicemen and volunteers who defended the borders of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) during the four-day war in April 2016 and the days following it; tax evasion; squandering of state resources; and organizing of property usurpation through extortion.

The preliminary investigation into the separate case in the criminal case brought against him and his wife is over. In addition, an arrest warrant has been issued for his aforesaid son.

On March 25, he was taken from a Yerevan penitentiary to a hospital.