Armenian court considering new charges against former president

An Armenian court is considering new charges against former President Serzh Sargsyan.

The third president of the country is accused in the case of illegally selling the Sev Berd cultural monument (Black Fortress) in Gyumri municipality, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

In an investigation that lasted six years, the judge ruled that Sargsyan’s presence at the hearings is mandatory.

Under a government decision dated June 6, 1995, the Sev Berd fortress was transferred to the balance sheet of the Defence Ministry. Ten years later, while Sargsyan was serving as defence minister, the building was sold to a private individual for 22.9515 million drams ($60 000).

The fortress, covering 626.45 square metres and occupying a 0.7-hectare plot of land, is a historical and cultural monument of national significance, the authorities noted.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov