Lawyer denies wrongdoing in election bribery case involving Homeland Party member

Khachik Galstyan, a senior member of Armenia’s opposition Homeland Party, has denied allegations of vote buying after being arrested late on Monday as part of a criminal investigation, lawyer Sos Hakobyan said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters outside the Anti-Corruption Court, Sos Hakobyan, who is also a member of the Homeland Party, said Galstyan rejects all charges.

“Khachik Galstyan has denied the accusations against him. There are no materials or evidence that would indicate a crime was committed,” Hakobyan stated.

According to the lawyer, all of Galstyan’s pre-election activities were conducted in full compliance with the law, and no provisions of Armenia’s Criminal Code were violated.

Prosecutors have asked the court to place Galstyan in pretrial detention, a request that is currently under consideration.

Law enforcement authorities carried out searches at Galstyan’s residence before detaining him. The Anti-Corruption Committee said the investigation concerns the alleged distribution of bribes intended to influence voters during recent local elections in Etchmiadzin.

The Homeland Party is led by former National Security Service chief Artur Vanetsyan.