Armenian investigators seek extension of Samvel Karapetyan’s house arrest

Armenia’s investigative authorities have filed a motion to a Yerevan court to extend the house arrest of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, his lawyer said on Friday.

The hearing is scheduled to be held at the Anti-Corruption Court at 4 p.m. local time. Karapetyan will not attend the session, lawyer Aram Vardevanyan said, adding that further details on his “political persecution” would be provided separately.

Karapetyan’s pre-trial detention, imposed on June 18, 2025, was replaced with house arrest and additional restrictions on December 30.

On January 5, the first working day of the year, prosecutors filed an appeal seeking Karapetyan’s re-arrest, a move his lawyers have called unlawful. The Court of Appeals accepted both the prosecution’s and the defense appeals on January 12 and scheduled the announcement of its decision for January 16.