Armenian Anti-Corruption Committee detains former PM’s brother

Henrik Abrahamyan, the brother of former Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, who was detained by Armenian law enforcement authorities on Friday, has given self-incriminating testimony to the Anti-Corruption Committee and reimbursed 26 million drams ($69,000) in alleged damage caused to the state, according to the Zhoghovurd newspaper.

The report said that, following his testimony and the reimbursement, authorities selected a travel ban as the only preventive measure against Abrahamyan.

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee confirmed on Friday that Henrik Abrahamyan had been detained as part of a criminal proceeding involving alleged abuse of official powers by an official, aiding such an offence, official forgery and the use of a forged document. The committee did not disclose further details of the case at the time.

The latest development comes against the backdrop of Armenia’s broader anti-corruption campaign, which intensified following the 2018 Velvet Revolution and has included criminal investigations and asset-recovery proceedings involving former senior officials and people associated with them. Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office said that corruption-related cases involving former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan were among the cases submitted to court in 2025.

Hovik Abrahamyan served as Armenia’s prime minister from 2014 to 2016 and previously held several senior government and parliamentary positions, including speaker of the National Assembly.

The Abrahamyan family has also been involved in separate proceedings concerning the alleged acquisition of property of illicit origin. In 2023, Armenia’s Department for Confiscation of Property of Illicit Origin sought the confiscation of dozens of properties, vehicles, company interests and financial claims linked to Hovik Abrahamyan and people associated with him.

By Tamilla Hasanova