Kocharian Tests for COVID-19 as Family Members Infected

The judicial session regarding the criminal case against Armenia's second president Robert Kocharian and former Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan was postponed due to a COVID-19 diagnosis among Kocharian's family members. This was stated by Kocharian's lawyer, Hayk Alumyann, during the session held at the Yerevan City Court of General Jurisdiction today.

It is noted that both Kocharian and Gevorgyan were not present at the session chaired by Judge Anna Danibekyan. Alumyann announced that Kocharian, as a contact person, had taken a test, with results expected to be released later today.

Armen Gevorgyan's lawyer, Lusine Sahakyan, also informed that Gevorgyan is participating remotely in the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The lawyer recalled that the court had been informed in advance about the session scheduled in Strasbourg from January 24 to 28.

As a result, today's court session was postponed and tentatively rescheduled for February 1, depending on the results of Robert Kocharian's test.

It is noteworthy that Robert Kocharian has been charged with receiving especially large bribes, while former Vice Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan faces money laundering charges.

According to the indictment, Robert Kocharian, utilizing his official position, facilitated actions in favor of Silva Hambardzumyan, the director of “TSSCI Armenia,” to not hinder the transaction involving the sale of 100% of the company shares to a non-resident company in Armenia for the purpose of extracting mineral resources, receiving a bribe of $3 million in February and May 2008 with the assistance of Samvel Mayrapetyan. He is charged under part 2 of Article 311 of the RA Criminal Code (receiving especially large bribes).

According to the indictment's conclusion, Armen Gevorgyan, as a public official responsible for organizing and managing operations, received an especially large bribe of $1 million equivalent to 309 million drams in April 2008, with the assistance of Samvel Mayrapetyan, to facilitate actions in favor of Silva Hambardzumyan, and simultaneously hid and misrepresented the true nature and origin of the said funds, legalizing especially large income obtained through criminal means.