The Conviction of the Former Minister of Justice Has Entered into Legal Force

The Prosecutor General's Office announced on October 6, 2025, that the Appellate Anti-Corruption Court upheld the decision of the Yerevan City Court of General Jurisdiction regarding former Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan, finding him guilty of committing offenses as defined under Article 308, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, adopted on April 18, 2003. The charges pertain to the abuse of official powers during his tenure as Minister of Justice.

The Prosecutor General's Office reminds that the Yerevan City Court of General Jurisdiction, in its decision on September 20, 2024, had found Hrayr Tovmasyan guilty of committing offenses under Article 308, Part 1 of the Criminal Code (two episodes) but released him from criminal liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations in 2019.

The Prosecutor filed an appeal against the ruling concerning the reclassification of the acts and the application of the statute of limitations, while defense attorneys submitted appeals seeking to recognize Hrayr Tovmasyan's innocence. The Appellate Anti-Corruption Court made a ruling on September 30, 2025, to reject the appeals and uphold the original verdict.

Against the September 30, 2025 decision of the Appellate Anti-Corruption Court, the Prosecutor General, the defendant, and his defense submitted cassation appeals. On February 12, 2026, the Cassation Court's Anti-Corruption Chamber decided to refuse to accept the appeals for consideration, which means that the conviction handed down regarding Hrayr Tovmasyan became legally binding as of February 12, 2026.