Former Armenian tax chief moved to house arrest

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has replaced the pre-trial detention of former State Revenue Committee Chairman Vardan Harutyunyan with two months of house arrest.

Harutyunyan, who has been in custody since August 8, faced a prosecution request to extend his detention on the grounds that he might obstruct the investigation. The court partially granted the request, opting instead for house arrest.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Friday, his attorney Armen Andrikyan unveiled plans to appeal the decision, arguing there is no reasonable suspicion against his client and that a more lenient measure could have been applied.

Harutyunyan will remain in detention until 7 p.m. today, after which he will be transferred home.

The former tax chief has been charged with illegal entrepreneurial activity, anti-competitive conduct and money laundering. According to his defense team, the case is unprecedented, as investigators are attempting to revive a previously closed investigation without new evidence linking him to the alleged crimes.