Tsarukyan's lawyer accuses Armenian authorities of political pressure in criminal case

A lawyer for detained opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan accused the Armenian authorities of using the country's law enforcement and judicial systems to carry out politically motivated actions against his client, arguing that recent criminal proceedings reflect political decisions.

Yerem Sargsyan, a member of Tsarukyan's legal team, said Armenia faces "a serious problem of legal security," alleging that senior government officials publicly announce forthcoming criminal and other legal measures against individuals before investigative bodies, prosecutors and courts move to implement them.

"In this case, the political order was given with regard to Gagik Tsarukyan," Sargsyan said in a statement on Thursday. He argued that authorities had openly declared plans to initiate criminal proceedings, detain Tsarukyan, keep him in custody, confiscate his property and place the Ararat Cement plant under state control by appointing an external manager.

Sargsyan said those actions were subsequently carried out by investigators, prosecutors and courts, which he claimed had acted in line with political directives despite being formally independent.

He cited several examples that he said demonstrated political interference. According to Sargsyan, government representatives said before the measures were taken that Tsarukyan would be prevented from leaving Armenia after elections. Prosecutors then imposed a travel ban through an unlawful criminal charge, which authorities later acknowledged was legally flawed.

He also said officials had publicly stated that Tsarukyan would be imprisoned after the elections, after which he was arrested, placed in pretrial detention and remains in custody.

Regarding Ararat Cement, Sargsyan said government officials had announced plans to nationalize the company and appoint a manager. He said an anti-corruption court later approved a prosecution request to appoint external management, but that Tsarukyan's legal team was neither informed of the proceedings nor provided with the court's decision.

Sargsyan argued that the sequence of public political statements followed by corresponding legal actions showed that the country's law enforcement agencies were acting to fulfill the wishes of the political leadership rather than independently applying the law.

Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, is being held on money laundering and fraud charges. His supporters and lawyers say the case is politically motivated, while Armenian authorities maintain that the prosecution is based solely on legal grounds.