Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son Sedrak were detained on Tuesday following law enforcement raids on businesses linked to the family, as reported by the Anti-Corruption Committee. Kocharyan, 71, faces charges of abuse of authority, bribery, and large-scale money laundering.
In addition to Kocharyan and his son, four others were detained during the investigation, which follows a tense exchange in parliament between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Kocharyan’s younger son, Levon. The committee is investigating allegations that state assets were sold illegally at below-market prices during Kocharyan’s presidency from 1998 to 2008.
Former President Serzh Sargsyan, who succeeded Kocharyan, is also facing charges. Bagrat Mikoyan, Kocharyan’s office head, described the detentions as an attack on the Kocharyan family and noted that Kocharyan was taken to the hospital after feeling ill.
During a parliamentary session, Levon Kocharyan accused Prime Minister Pashinyan of pressuring the courts to investigate certain individuals. Pashinyan countered by questioning the source of Kocharyan’s family wealth, suggesting any public assets should be returned to the state.
Robert Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance claimed the case was driven by personal vengeance, labelling it a “cynical manifestation of a regime that has lost its legitimacy.” Robert Kocharyan faced trial in 2019 for allegedly ordering the illegal use of force against demonstrators during the 2008 presidential election protests, which resulted in at least 10 deaths. Charges were ultimately dropped, and the case ended in 2021.
Analyst Alexander Iskandaryan stated that critics have long accused Kocharyan of corruption. He noted that the case would heighten tensions between pro-Russian opposition figures like Kocharyan and Pashinyan’s government, which aims for closer ties with the European Union. Iskandaryan remarked that this trend indicates a growing conflict with political forces aligned with Russia.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
