Kocharian's Case to Be Heard Starting in 2024: 60 Investigators Involved, Says Davit Kostandyan

In an interview on Public Television, Davit Kostandyan, the head of the Anti-Corruption Committee's investigation department focused on corrupt activities related to property, provided details regarding the criminal case against Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharian.

Kostandyan noted that the criminal prosecution against Kocharian was initiated as early as April, with proceedings at the Anti-Corruption Committee beginning in January 2024. “The public criminal prosecution against Robert Kocharian did not start on August 25; he was already involved as a suspect in this case back in April,” Kostandyan stated.

According to him, Kocharian was charged with one episode in April, and as a precautionary measure, a travel ban was imposed on him. During the investigation, new information surfaced regarding additional episodes, leading to a change in charges and a motion to the court for Kocharian's detention.

Kostandyan mentioned that this case is extensive and involves multiple episodes. The investigation is particularly related to alleged abuses in the privatization process of several dozen properties, as well as the transfer and lending of billions of drams.

Legal assistance requests have been sent to approximately 20 countries within the scope of the case. Kostandyan stated that obtaining necessary information from abroad has taken a significant amount of time, and additional investigative and verification actions have been carried out based on the data received.

Currently, criminal prosecution has been initiated against 10 individuals within the context of the case. At the same time, there are episodes for which a final legal assessment has not yet been given, and the pre-investigation continues. Kostandyan also noted that when the case was handed over to the Anti-Corruption Committee, criminal prosecution had already been initiated against Robert Kocharian's son, Sedrak Kocharian, and another individual. That investigation has been completed, and the case has been sent to court. Additionally, other cases have been sent to court based on specific episodes.

Regarding the scale of the criminal case, Kostandyan revealed that the investigative team established by the president of the Anti-Corruption Committee consists of 60 investigators. “Currently, 60 investigators are involved in the investigative team. An investigative group has been created by the order of the president of the Anti-Corruption Committee, and all of them are engaged in examining the criminal case,” he said.

It should be noted that a two-month detention has been imposed on Robert Kocharian as a precautionary measure. He is accused of the abuse of official powers, money laundering on a particularly large scale, and accepting bribes on a particularly large scale.