The court of Syunik Province today held the preliminary court hearing over the case of Deputy Mayor of Goris Menua Hovsepyan and others.

Hovsepyan’s attorney Armen Melkonyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the motion to replace the pre-trial measure detention with bail for Menua Hovsepyan was considered during the preliminary court hearing and that the court set AMD 30,000,000 as the amount for bail.

“We are currently trying to collect the funds. Friends and relatives are pitching in. This is a tremendous amount, but we need to give it,” Melkonyan said.

Hovsepyan is charged with embezzlement or squander by using official position, in particularly large amounts and with coercing to participate in an election campaign by use of official position.

Three others are also charged under the criminal case, and among them is former Deputy Mayor of Goris Irina Yolyan.