Davit Hambardzumyan moved to house arrest

An Armenian court on Monday replaced the detention of Davit Hambardzumyan, a former mayor of Masis and a joint prime ministerial candidate of the opposition, with house arrest.

The ruling took effect immediately and may be appealed to the Court of Cassation within 15 days, the court announced after deliberations.

A hearing in Hambardzumyan’s case was postponed due to another session scheduled with the same panel later in the day. The next hearing is set for February 11.

The decision was met with prolonged applause and chants inside the courtroom, while supporters gathered outside the courthouse also welcomed the ruling.

Speaking to reporters, Hambardzumyan’s lawyer, Gayane Papoyan, said that although house arrest remains a restrictive preventive measure, the decision represents a partial victory for the defense.

“Given that our motion to lift the detention was granted, we are relatively satisfied at this point,” Papoyan said, adding that the defense team would discuss whether to file an appeal.

Earlier on Monday, Hambardzumyan’s legal team had filed a motion with the Criminal Court of Appeals seeking his immediate release.