Armenian extends arrest of ex-president’s associate for two more months

A Yerevan-based court has extended the arrest of Armen Ashotyan, the deputy head of the Armenian Republican Party (the party’s head is ex-President Serzh Sargsyan) for two months.

The announcement came from Ashotyan’s lawyer Tigran Atanesyan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Previously, the local law enforcers applied for Ashotyan’s arrest, accusing him of violating the rules of the preventive measure. Ashotyan, who previously served as Education Minister, is also accused of abuse of office and money laundering.

The court arrested Ashotyan for two months on June 16 and banned him from travelling abroad. The politician does not admit his guilt, considering these actions as "open and cynical political persecution.

On August 14, the court session, at which the issue of extending Ashotyan's arrest was discussed, ended late at night, after which the court retired to the deliberation room to make a decision.

Earlier, the European People's Party, the largest faction in the European Parliament, called Ashotyan's arrest politically motivated and called for the Armenian Republican Party deputy chairman's immediate release.