Yesterday, on December 14, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Armenia announced its decision regarding the arrest of Gagik Khachatryan, the former Minister of Finance. The court also revealed that Gagik Khachatryan’s son and brother, Artyom and Aram Khachatryan, have been charged with embezzlement and sent to court for pretrial detention. The Khachatryan family’s legal team made the announcement, expressing their desire to understand the complex context surrounding the charges. They emphasized that the court’s decision was based on the conditions of obtaining the loan and the financial information provided to the bank.

However, the Khachatryan family maintains that they had no knowledge or relationship with the transactions and the individuals involved. They believe that the disclosed numbers and actions are meant to create a scandal and avoid paying taxes. Despite comprehensive inspections carried out in the past five years, no significant violations were found in the payment of taxes by their business associations. The defense team has called on the prosecutor and judge to explain the charges and reasons for detention but has not yet received a satisfactory explanation.

The defense team intends to present evidence of real transactions and bank transfers obtained by tax and judicial authorities over the past four years. They hope that this evidence will prove the legitimacy of their activities and refute the accusations against them. Despite the official information provided by the bank through tax procedures, an audit conducted over four years has not found any significant objections. The defense team urges that the trial reflects the truth rather than abstract numbers.