RA MP`s lawyers deny client revealed classified documents to money 

ArmInfo.  The investigative body's claim that Andranik Tevanyan, leader of the Mother Armenia  party and number two on the Prosperous Armenia party's election list,  allegedly received $622,000 for a document containing a state secret  is false. This is stated in a statement by Andranik Tevanyan's legal  team.

According to the lawyers, the documents that Tevanyan allegedly  received from Aregnaz Manukyan and subsequently passed on to a  representative of a foreign intelligence service are practically  nonexistent. "In particular, such factual circumstances are absent  from the charges brought against both individuals, and there is no  supporting evidence in the criminal proceedings. Therefore, the  defense completely refutes the allegations contained in the charges.  At the same time, the public presentation of unconfirmed information  creates a biased public opinion, as the public forms a position  regarding the alleged commission of a crime and the guilt of  individuals that is not supported by the criminal proceedings.  Therefore, we call on the investigative body to respect the  presumption of innocence and not present to the public, as  established facts, information that not only does not correspond to  the charges brought against Andranik Tevanyan and Aregnaz Manukyan  and the materials of the criminal proceedings, but could also create  a biased public opinion regarding their guilt," the lawyers said in a  statement.

They also noted that the defense will continue to present its  position exclusively within the framework of the procedure  established by law, adhering to both its procedural obligations and  its duty to protect the rights and legitimate interests of its  clients. As a reminder, on May 21, the Investigative Committee of  Armenia announced the opening of a criminal case against Andranik  Tevanyan for "treason and espionage." Tevanyan is accused of  transferring information containing state secrets to a foreign state  for $622,000. On the night of May 24, Tevanyan was placed under  two-month pretrial detention by court order. Moreover, according to  Tevanyan's lawyer, Aram Orbelyan, there were no legal grounds for his  client's detention at the time.

The opposition figure's arrest occurred on the direct orders of  current Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Tevanyan himself  called the investigation's allegations absurd, noting that he  resigned his parliamentary mandate in 2023, and therefore the  Investigative Committee's allegations are groundless.