The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction has rejected a request to drop charges against Armen Gevorgyan, an MP from the opposition Hayastan bloc, and end his prosecution.

Presiding judge Anna Danibekyan on Wednesday denied the defense motion at a court hearing on the case also involving Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan.

The decision can be appealed to a higher court within one month after its delivery, Kocharyan’s lawyers said in a statement.

Gevorgyan is standing trial for alleged corruption and money laundering.