On 5 February, Judge Vahe Misakyan announced at the Avan seat of the Yerevan Court ofGgeneral Jurisdiction, the verdict in the case of Professor Armen Charchyan, Deputy of the “Armenia” faction of the National Assembly, Director of the “Izmirlyan” Medical Center,

Charchyan is accused of forcing to participate in the 20 June, 2021 elections. A few days before the voting (18 June), a part of the recording of Charchyan’s meeting with the hospital employees was distributed, which the law enforcement officials describe as obstructing the exercise of the voter’s free will. The article incriminated to Charchyan also refers to forcing to vote against someone.

According to Iravaban.net, the court ruled:

“Armen Charchyan was found guilty of committing the act stipulated by Article 154.2, Part 4, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code dated 18.04.2003 and sentenced to 4 years in prison. According to Article 60 of the Code of Criminal Procedure adopted on 18.04.2003 in the application of the sentence imposed under the mentioned article calculate 4 months, 17 days of actual imprisonment and appoint as the final punishment 3 years, 7 months and 13 days of imprisonment. In application of Article 77 of the Criminal Code adopted on 18.04.2003 not to conditionally apply the punishment in the form of imprisonment imposed on Armen Charchyan, setting a probationary period of 3 years, appointing control over the behavior of the convicted person in case of changing the place of residence and place of work,” Judge Vahe Misakyan said.

The verdict can be appealed to the Criminal Court of Appeal within 1 month.

His defense attorney Erik Aleksanyan said in a conversation with journalists.

“The Judge applied the minimum punishment: 4 years imprisonment and naturally, taking into account the fact that Mr. Charchyan was in prison for 4 months and 17 days, the total punishment was reduced to 3 years and 7 months. Naturally, when the Court applied the institution of not applying the sentence conditionally, in fact, the assigned sentence was not applied. A trial period was also established, this also means that Mr. Charchyan will not be in prison.

Any outcome that will lead to Mr. Charchyan not being in a penitentiary, not appearing again, is good for us, but we also disagree with the verdict in general, given the fact that we have said, are saying and will say from the beginning, that Mr. Charchyan is innocent and naturally, in this case, a judicial act of acquittal should have been made. I cannot give an answer to that question as to why it was not held. We will appeal and dispute the court act after we receive the court act in its entirety. We will try to restore justice from the point of view of acquittal through the procedure of re-examination.”

It should be noted that during the previous session, Charchyan announced that any decision of the court would be acceptable to him.