Armen and Sergey Smbatyan Held in Cells with Other Individuals: Sputnik

Armen Smbatyan, the former ambassador of Armenia to Israel and Russia, and his son Sergey Smbatyan, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, are currently being held in the "Armavir" penitentiary. This information has been reported by the penitentiary service in response to a written inquiry from Sputnik Armenia.

"Armen and Sergey Smbatyan are being held in different cells, as the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction has restricted the communication rights of the detained Sergey Smbatyan with his father, Armen Smbatyan," the response states.

It is also noted that they are being held with other individuals. However, according to the news outlet, their cellmates are not former officials or law enforcement personnel, but rather ordinary prisoners.

Recall that on July 30, it became known that former ambassador Armen Smbatyan and his son, conductor Sergey Smbatyan, were detained.

Armen Smbatyan has been charged under the first point of part three of Article 38-178 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, for organizing particularly large-scale fraud, while Sergey Smbatyan and businessman A.P. face charges under the first point of part three of Article 178 for particularly large-scale fraud.

A number of cultural figures, prominent athletes, and doctors have submitted a petition to the Armenian Attorney General Anna Vardapetyan, urging the release of Sergey Smbatyan from custody. The Armenian Prosecutor's Office is preparing to discuss petitions regarding changing the detention measure for him to a non-custodial measure.