Gagik Tsarukyan's Case: Detention Request, Seized Animals, and Opposition Statement
07.07.2026,
12:49
On Tuesday, a Yerevan court heard the Investigative Committee of Armenia's motion to pretrial detention against businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party.
YEREVAN, July 7. /ARKA/. On Tuesday, a Yerevan court heard the Investigative Committee of Armenia's motion to pretrial detention against businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party. The investigation is requesting his arrest for two months.
As Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan told Novosti-Armenia, the motion has already been submitted to the court.
Earlier, the Investigative Committee announced Tsarukyan's arrest and provided details of the criminal proceedings. According to investigators, a group of individuals he organized engaged in large-scale fraud and money laundering under the guise of developing trade ties with Iran between 2022 and 2024. The investigation alleges that as a result of these actions, property worth over 8.1 billion drams (approximately $21 million) was stolen, and the proceeds were then laundered.
Simultaneously, the Investigative Committee announced that it was conducting proceedings in another criminal case related to illegal hunting. According to the agency, three lions and one tiger were seized from Tsarukyan's mansion and transferred to the Yerevan Zoo, along with 190 stuffed animals and birds.
The Investigative Committee stated that the lions and tiger were recognized as material evidence in the case, and the environmental damage caused by the illegal hunting is preliminarily estimated at 30 million drams. The investigation also reported that other animals kept in the mansion will be seized and transferred for safekeeping in the coming days. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
Amid these developments, several opposition political forces issued a joint statement in support of Tsarukyan. The document was signed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun, the Hayakve National-Civic Union, the Armenian National Congress, the Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia, Democratic Alternative, Mother Armenia, and the Democratic Party of Armenia.
The authors of the statement strongly condemned the authorities' actions against Tsarukyan, as well as the searches at his businesses. They stated that these actions constitute political persecution and are aimed at putting pressure on the opposition and public dissent.
The signatories stated that they consider the persecution of citizens for their political views and opposition activities unacceptable. They also expressed the opinion that these events could negatively impact the country's political system, investment attractiveness, and economy, and called on Armenia's international partners, international organizations, and bodies dedicated to the protection of human rights and democratic institutions to assess the current situation.
As Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan told Novosti-Armenia, the motion has already been submitted to the court.
Earlier, the Investigative Committee announced Tsarukyan's arrest and provided details of the criminal proceedings. According to investigators, a group of individuals he organized engaged in large-scale fraud and money laundering under the guise of developing trade ties with Iran between 2022 and 2024. The investigation alleges that as a result of these actions, property worth over 8.1 billion drams (approximately $21 million) was stolen, and the proceeds were then laundered.
Simultaneously, the Investigative Committee announced that it was conducting proceedings in another criminal case related to illegal hunting. According to the agency, three lions and one tiger were seized from Tsarukyan's mansion and transferred to the Yerevan Zoo, along with 190 stuffed animals and birds.
The Investigative Committee stated that the lions and tiger were recognized as material evidence in the case, and the environmental damage caused by the illegal hunting is preliminarily estimated at 30 million drams. The investigation also reported that other animals kept in the mansion will be seized and transferred for safekeeping in the coming days. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
Amid these developments, several opposition political forces issued a joint statement in support of Tsarukyan. The document was signed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun, the Hayakve National-Civic Union, the Armenian National Congress, the Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia, Democratic Alternative, Mother Armenia, and the Democratic Party of Armenia.
The authors of the statement strongly condemned the authorities' actions against Tsarukyan, as well as the searches at his businesses. They stated that these actions constitute political persecution and are aimed at putting pressure on the opposition and public dissent.
The signatories stated that they consider the persecution of citizens for their political views and opposition activities unacceptable. They also expressed the opinion that these events could negatively impact the country's political system, investment attractiveness, and economy, and called on Armenia's international partners, international organizations, and bodies dedicated to the protection of human rights and democratic institutions to assess the current situation.
