Serzh Sargsyan's Defense Team Issues Statement

The legal team of the third President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, has issued a statement addressing requests from various media outlets to hear clarifications from the defense regarding the charges brought against Sargsyan.

In the statement, it is noted: "1. The defense team of the third President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, reaffirms its previous claims made at the initial stage of the investigation, stating that charges have been brought against Serzh Sargsyan for actions related to his official position. However, according to the Constitution of Armenia, the President of the Republic cannot be prosecuted or held accountable for actions occurring during their term and thereafter that arise from their status.

2. The defense team points out that Serzh Sargsyan has been involved as a defendant in gross violation of Article 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia, as there is a lack of sufficient evidence indicating the commission of an obvious crime. Moreover, the data collected in the case does not demonstrate that there has been any investigation into a criminal incident at all. More simply, the gathered data screams of the absence of a criminal incident.

3. Addressing the legality and justification of the preventive measure imposed on Serzh Sargsyan, the defense acknowledges that there are absolutely no factual data in the case which could even theoretically suggest the likelihood of Mr. Sargsyan displaying inappropriate behavior, thus, in these circumstances, the illegal restriction of the individual's right to freely move as guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia cannot be deemed legal.

4. Regarding the legality and justification of the action to impose bail on Mr. Sargsyan's property, the defense again asserts that there is not a single piece of evidence in this case, on the basis of which the investigator could legally restrict the defendant’s property, thus this decision cannot be considered lawful either.

5. We also state that the prosecuting body has rejected numerous requests from the defense seeking to conduct a comprehensive, objective, and thorough investigation, to obtain evidence that is important for the case, and to make specific procedural decisions, without sufficient justification, which again reinforces our belief that the prosecution wrapped in criminal procedure against the third President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, is politically motivated.

6. Taking into account the public resonance of the case, the defense will periodically provide the public with further information.