Yerevan court refuses to release ex-defense chief

The Anti-Corruption Court in Yerevan has rejected a bid for the pretrial release of Armenia’s former Defense Minister David Tonoyan, the judicial authorities reported on Wednesday.

The ex-defense chief has been in custody pending investigation and trial for nearly two years now.

Tonoyan was arrested in September 2021 on fraud and embezzlement charges related to purchases of faulty weaponry and ammunition for Armenia's armed forces.

He served as Armenia’s defense minister in 2018-2020.