Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has been charged with money laundering, bribery and abuse of power, as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government faces growing criticism over legal proceedings against opposition figures.
State prosecutors said Kocharyan, who served as president from 1998 to 2008, allegedly used his position to transfer state-owned property to himself and associates on favourable terms while attempting to conceal the alleged criminal origins of the assets.
Nine other people, including one of Kocharyan’s sons, have also been charged in connection with the alleged scheme, according to prosecutors.
It was not immediately clear how Kocharyan had responded to the latest accusations. He has previously denied wrongdoing during his presidency, while his lawyer, Aram Orbelyan, was not immediately available for comment.
The case comes as Pashinyan’s government faces accusations from critics that it is using legal proceedings to intensify pressure on prominent opponents, including opposition politicians, church figures and members of civil society.
Armenia’s church leader is currently facing trial in a separate case that the church has described as politically motivated. Opposition figures Gagik Tsarukyan and Samvel Karapetyan are also facing separate legal proceedings, with one in pre-trial detention and the other under house arrest.
Pashinyan came to power following mass street protests in 2018 and has since pursued closer relations with Western countries while seeking to reduce Armenia’s reliance on Russia.
Kocharyan, 71, has strongly criticised Pashinyan’s approach to Moscow. During his presidency, he maintained close ties with Russia, which remains a key energy supplier to Armenia and operates a major military base in the country.
Kocharyan heads the Armenia Alliance, Armenia’s second-largest opposition bloc in parliament, and remains a leading critic of Pashinyan’s government.
He was previously detained and prosecuted over his response to unrest after Armenia’s disputed 2008 presidential election, during which at least 10 people died in clashes between protesters and police.
The charges were eventually dismissed, ending the trial in 2021.
Goodness Anunobi
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