Former MP claims criminal case against Republican Party Vice-Chair is  politically motivated

ArmInfo. Former National Assembly member Naira Zohrabyan considers the criminal proceedings against Armen Ashotyan, Republican Party Vice Chairman, politically motivated. She made these remarks to reporters on July 10 at the Anti-Corruption Court, where hearings regarding Ashotyan's case are  currently underway.

"There can be no two opinions here: this is a political reprisal  against a politician who has not hidden and does not hide his stance  on the current government. urisprudence is present here only to the  extent that I could imagine myself as the Queen of England.  Furthermore, I have a better chance of becoming the Queen of England  at some point than finding justice in this court," Zohrabyan stated,"   Naira Zohrabyan noted, pointing to the two-month arrest of Mother  Armenia Party representative Aregnaz Manukyan. Zohrabyan argued that  it is difficult to imagine such events occurring under previous  administrations, noting that a woman is being prosecuted for passing  a document to "Mother Armenia" party leader Andranik Tevanyan. 

She highlighted that both Gegham Manukyan and Armen Rustamyan have  repeatedly emphasized that no materials concerning state secrets were  discussed during that 2024 National Assembly session. " "In any case,  arresting a mother of two, one of whom is a minor especially when the  Council of Europe used to hold me accountable by demanding that  arrest be used only in exceptional cases is simply unthinkable.   Arrest has become as commonplace as popcorn or sunflower seeds,"  Zohrabyan said.

Earlier, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia  reported that a decision was made to detain former Minister of  Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, former Minister of Finance  Gagik Khachatryan and his son Artem Khachatryan, former Minister of  Defense Vigen Sargsyan, former Rector of the Valery Bryusov State  University Gayane Gasparyan, former Vice-Rector Artur Avagyan, and  former Deputy Director of the "Yerevan Mall" shopping center Harutyun  Tadevosyan. These individuals face charges related to abuse of  office, aiding and abetting such abuse, and the laundering of  significant sums of money by a group of people.

According to the Investigative Committee, the former Minister of  Education and Science, acting in complicity with the other six  individuals, abused his official powers to assist Gagik Khachatryan  and his son in the acquisition of property that was not subject to  alienation.

Armen Ashotyan has been in custody since June 5.