Criminal Proceedings Initiated Against Robert Kocharyan for Bribery, Money Laundering, and Abuse of Official Authority

The prosecutor has initiated public criminal proceedings against the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, for abuse of official authority in three instances, receiving bribes in particularly large amounts in two instances, and committing money laundering in four instances. In the same case, criminal proceedings have also been initiated against nine other individuals, including Kocharyan's son, Sedrak Kocharyan, a former defense minister, a former prime minister, and a former mayor of Yerevan.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, it has been established that during his presidency from 1998 to 2008, Robert Kocharyan, in collusion with several other individuals, abused his official powers to transfer state-owned property of particularly large value to himself and related persons and companies under favorable conditions. This involved the sale of properties at significantly lower prices than market value and without public auctions.

The criminal proceedings mention areas adjacent to Acharyan and Tsarav Aghbyur streets in Yerevan, as well as plots of land located in the left bank area of the Cascade. According to the prosecutor's data, as a result of the transactions, the 7.94 hectares of land adjacent to Acharyan and Tsarav Aghbyur streets, acquired for 27 million drams, had 50 percent of the shares of the 'Fast Cart' company granted as a donation to Robert Kocharyan's son, Sedrak Kocharyan, in 2004.

One specific episode pertains to the property at 8 Paronyan Street. The Prosecutor's Office states that several areas worth 331.8 million drams in market value in a ten-story building constructed at that address were formally registered in Sedrak Kocharyan's name for only 99.365 million drams, which is about 232.4 million drams less than the market value.

Other episodes of the case relate to the 'Kaputak Lake Sevan' resort complex and the assets of the 'Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve in Tennis.' In the latter case, according to the materials of the proceedings, property with a cadastre value of 192.45 million drams was sold for 12.267 million drams to a company connected to Kocharyan's son.

The Prosecutor's Office also accuses Kocharyan of receiving bribes in particularly large amounts. One episode is connected to the properties at the former 'Soldier's House' at 20 Vazgen Sargsyan Street and properties at 16 Nalbandyan Street. According to the charges, between 2011 and 2017, the 'Piatza Grande' company transferred to Kocharyan 56 real estate properties with a total value of over 2.63 billion drams.

The other episode concerns the 'Toyota Yerevan' company. According to the Prosecutor's Office, in exchange for receiving state land plots under favorable conditions for the company's activities, 30 percent of the company's shares were registered in the name of Sedrak Kocharyan as a particularly large bribe. The case materials also mention transactions involving the sale of state land plots at prices significantly lower than the market value.

It is important to note that a person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the law, by a legally binding court verdict.