Appellate court rejects Serzh Sargsyan’s motion on lifting travel ban

17:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. An appellate court has denied former President Serzh Sargsyan’s motion on lifting his exit ban amid the ongoing court proceedings.

A court banned Sargsyan from leaving the country pending the trial.

“At the decision of the court of appeals, the measure of restraint against Serzh Sargsyan – the signature bond on not leaving the country – will not be lifted,” the prosecution told ARMENPRESS.

The former president was charged with embezzlement in December 2019 and a court imposed a signature bond as bail. Former agriculture minister Sergo Karapetyan, businessman Barsegh Beglaryan and several others are also charged in the same case. Sargsyan is suspected in abuse of power and organizing the embezzlement of nearly half a billion drams during his tenure as president through the businessman. Sargsyan denies wrongdoing.

Reporting and writing by Karen Khachatryan

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS