Armenian Parliament lifts immunity of two MPs, clearing way for criminal charges

The Armenian National Assembly has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of independent MP Ovik Agazaryan and opposition "I Have Honor" faction MP Taron Markaryan, paving the way for criminal proceedings against them.

The decision followed a secret ballot in parliament. A total of 65 MPs voted in favor of revoking Agazaryan’s immunity, with none opposing. In the case of Markaryan, 67 MPs supported the motion, while two voted against it, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The request to prosecute Agazaryan, submitted by Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, was deliberated in parliament starting March 26, while Markaryan's case was discussed beginning March 27.

Agazaryan faces allegations related to two separate incidents. In the first case, he is accused of offering to arrange the export of livestock using falsified documents, allegedly by bribing officials from the Food Safety Inspection Body.

Armenian media reports indicate that to facilitate the export of approximately 150–200 cattle, Agazaryan sought to charge businessmen between $200,000 and $300,000. In the second case, he allegedly demanded a bribe of $23,000 and 300,000 drams from citizen Aram Mkrtchyan to facilitate the demolition of a dilapidated primary school building (School No. 136) in Ajapnyak and secure the land for residential construction.

Markaryan, on the other hand, is expected to face charges under various articles related to money laundering, abuse of power, and the illegal appropriation of land plots over different years.

By Khagan Isayev