Thursday, August 27 2026 13:52
Alexandr Avanesov

Where has been law enforcement system been looking at in recent  years? - RA premier 

Where has been law enforcement system been looking at in recent  years? - RA premier 

ArmInfo.  There is a need to develop and implement democratic standards in Armenia. RA Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at a briefing on August 27.

According to him, as a citizen, he was personally inspired to this  idea by observing the actions of the law enforcement system, which  knew about the illegal actions of second RA President Robert  Kocharyan and his family members, who received a 30% stake in Toyota  Armenia, a house on 8 Paronyan Street in Yerevan, land plots on  Cascade, and so on, but had previously taken no action. Even if law  enforcement officials were unaware of all this, it had been discussed  since 2018. "What actions did the prosecutors, investigators, and  detectives take? After all, any report of a crime should have been  responded to appropriately, but how did they respond? It's entirely  possible that criminal cases were opened, but why, then, weren't they  investigated?" the prime minister asked, adding that he had a  political response. Specifically, according to the prime minister,  the Serzh Kocharyan mafia had and continues to have tentacles in the  judicial system. The Armenian prime minister recalled that back in  2018, he stated that these individuals should be held accountable for  illicit enrichment. Now, as an Armenian citizen, he wants to thank  all the legal system employees who prepared the indictment against  Kocharyan.  At the same time, the prime minister threatened that  those representatives of the judicial system who sabotaged the  criminal cases against former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh  Sargsyan, as well as Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan and  their associates, would also be held accountable. The head of the  Armenian government noted that in 2018, the government gave such  individuals a chance and declared an amnesty for crimes related to  illicit enrichment. By confessing to these crimes, one could retain  25% of one's property, but no one took advantage of this opportunity,  including relying on loyalists in the courts and law enforcement  agencies.

"Do they think no one will come for them? They will come for  everyone. They will have to explain themselves to the people. Their  property and accounts, as well as those of their families, will have  to be checked. They all need to be checked, including those who  warned Kocharyan the night before the search," the Armenian prime  minister threatened, adding that Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan,  and Gagik Tsarukyan must "open their phones on the first of every  month and check whether their pensions have been credited." Earlier  today, the Anti-Corruption Committee announced that a two-month  pretrial detention had been imposed on Armenia's second president,  Robert Kocharyan.  Kocharyan was hospitalized early in the morning,  and the case continued without him.  On the morning of August 25,  security forces brought Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son, Sedrak  Kocharyan, to the Anti-Corruption Committee for questioning.  Meanwhile, officers from Armenia's National Security Council  conducted searches at the apartment of Levon Kocharyan, a member of  the opposition Armenia faction and the son of second president Robert  Kocharyan. The searches lasted seven hours. It was also reported that  searches were conducted at Robert Kocharyan's home and dozens of  addresses of companies owned by the Kocharyan family, as well as the  homes of directors of companies associated with the second president.  Robert Kocharyan's condition, who underwent heart surgery about two  weeks ago, sharply worsened during the investigation, and he was  hospitalized. The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia announced  that same day that Robert Kocharyan had been charged with large-scale  money laundering, abuse of office, and bribery. An attempt was made  to bring him to court, but due to his existing health issues, doctors  prevented this. On August 26, at 8:00 a.m., the arrest warrant for  the second president of Armenia expired. A second motion was  subsequently filed.

Criminal cases were initiated against nine individuals, including  former Defense Minister and third president of Armenia Serzh  Sargsyan. Later, the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia announced  that four of the six individuals detained the previous day had been  remanded in custody, including Sedrak Kocharyan. The court ordered  his pretrial detention for two months. Another defendant, according  to a source, was placed under house arrest. It was also reported that  a travel ban has been imposed on the third president of Armenia,  Serzh Sargsyan, who is also involved in the case.  

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