Hrayr Tovmasyan found guilty, freed from criminal liability

A first instance court in Yerevan on Friday found former Constitutional Court chair Hrayr Tovmasyan guilty on two counts but released him from criminal liability because the statute of limitations had expired.

Prosecutors sought a seven-year jail sentence for the former chief justice who was charged with abuse of power related to alleged real estate fraud rejected by him as politically motivated.

Presiding judge Tatevik Grigoryan also obliged Tovmasyan to pay 5,600,000 drams and 5,203,800 drams to two plaintiffs in compensation for damages. The seizure of Tovmasyan’s assets remained in force, pending his execution of the court order.