Armenian opposition figure Tsarukyan challenges detention in court

Lawyers representing Prosperous Armenia party leader and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan have appealed a lower court's decision to place the opposition politician in pre-trial detention for two months, Tsarukyan's lawyer Emin Khachatryan has announced.

He said the appeal sets out in detail alleged violations of substantive and procedural law committed by the court of first instance, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

It also elaborates on the defence's arguments regarding the grounds for suspicion, the legality of Tsarukyan's arrest and the possibility of applying alternative preventive measures.

“We inform you that the defence has filed an appeal with the Criminal Court of Appeal of the Republic of Armenia against the decision to impose detention on Gagik Kolyaevich Tsarukyan as a preventive measure,” the lawyer noted.

A court in Yerevan ordered Tsarukyan's detention for two months on July 7. He is accused of aiding fraud and money laundering on an especially large scale.

The politician also faces a separate case related to the illegal hunting of wild animals.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov