Friday, September 25 2026 11:48
Alexandr Avanesov

An Armenian court has refused to dismiss a criminal case against former officials

An Armenian court has refused to dismiss a criminal case against former officials

ArmInfo. Judge Sarkis Petrosyan of the RA Anti-Corruption Court rejected the defense's motion to terminate the criminal prosecution of former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, former CSTO Secretary General and former Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Yuri Khachaturov, and former RA Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan.

Presenting the motion against Yuri Khachaturov, attorney Migran Poghosyan noted that his client was the Secretary General of an international organization (the CSTO) and enjoyed the corresponding immunity, and therefore could not be subject to criminal prosecution. This immunity was and is enjoyed not only by representatives of Armenia, but also by other CSTO countries. The prosecution's assertions that Khachaturov was within the country at the time the criminal case was initiated, and therefore was not the CSTO Secretary General, contradict the principles of international law, according to the lawyer. Poghosyan emphasized that immunity does not depend on a person's location, since the former CSTO Secretary General continued to hold the relevant position.

However, the prosecution considered these arguments to be untrue. According to the prosecutor, Khachaturov's immunity was not absolute and only extended during his official duties.

The judge supported the prosecution in this regard. However, he did not impose travel restrictions on Khachaturov and Armen Gevorkyan. It should be noted that the second President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, former Chief of the General Staff Yuri Khachaturov, and former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan faced reclassification of the charges against them in the March 1, 2008, case against them as abuse of power after the original article on overthrowing the constitutional order was found unconstitutional. The second President of the Republic of Armenia was initially charged with overthrowing the constitutional order (Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia) during the tragic events of March 1, 2008. In 2021, the Constitutional Court overturned this article, after which the case was partially dismissed and remanded for a new trial with a revised legal assessment.

As a reminder, on March 1-2, 2008, following the February 19 presidential elections won by Serzh Sargsyan, riots broke out in Yerevan, culminating in clashes with law enforcement. The Armenian opposition, led by first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who also ran in the election, held rallies in central Yerevan beginning February 20, expressing dissatisfaction with the vote results. The protests escalated into riots and clashes between protesters and law enforcement, resulting in the deaths of 10 people, including police officers, and injuries to over 200.

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