The court refused to grant conditional early release to Armenian driver Hrachya Harutyunyan, who was sentenced in Russia but extradited to Armenia.

"I haven't even specified the reason for denial but already appealed the decision to Armenia's Court of Appeal", he told Armenian News - NEWS.am.

The truck, which Hrachya Harutyunyan was driving, crashed into a passenger bus in July 2013, in Moscow Oblast (province) of Russia. The accident claimed 18 lives and more than 60 people were injured. The Armenian driver was sentenced to 6 years and 9 months in prison in Russia. On July 20 of the current year, however, Harutyunyan was extradited to Armenia, under the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, to serve the rest of his prison sentence.