Armenia Detains Former President Kocharyan in Property, Money-Laundering Case

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has ordered former President Robert Kocharyan to remain in pre-trial detention for two months as part of a corruption investigation dating back to his time in office.

Kocharyan, who served as president from 1998 to 2008, faces charges including abuse of official powers, large-scale money laundering and accepting a particularly large bribe. He denies wrongdoing.

The ruling was issued by Judge Sargis Dadoyan after prosecutors sought Kocharyan’s detention. The former president was taken to a medical facility after becoming unwell during the proceedings, but the hearing continued in his absence.

Investigators allege that Kocharyan used his position to facilitate the transfer of valuable state-owned properties to himself, associates and affiliated companies at prices below market value and without public tenders. Prosecutors also allege that some of the proceeds were subsequently concealed through money-laundering schemes.

The case has widened to include several other suspects. Kocharyan’s eldest son, Sedrak, has also been placed in two-month pre-trial detention, while six people in total were initially detained in connection with the investigation.

The proceedings add to growing political tensions in Armenia, where Kocharyan remains a prominent opposition figure and a vocal critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government. His supporters have described the broader crackdown as politically motivated, allegations the authorities reject.