For more than 8 months, Republic of Armenia citizen and businessman Tigran Khachatryan has been detained and held in the Russian Federation. He is accused of ordering the murder of his daughter Marina Khachatryan’s ex-husband, Garegin Muradyan, and his father, Aram Muradyan.
On July 3, 2024, Khachatryan arrived alone in Moscow and stayed at one of the city’s hotels. Days later, on the night of July 17-18, employees of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs detained him near building 28 on Tverskaya Street in Moscow. The same day, he was arrested by the investigator handling the case at the Russian Investigative Committee.
“My father is accused of preparing the murder of my ex-husband and his father. We were married 10 years ago, and after the divorce, we never met, never communicated, and have nothing in common,” notes Marina.
The advocates and the Khachatryan family are surprised by the investigation’s theory that Tigran Khachatryan’s alleged intention to kill his former son-in-law and in-law supposedly arose from serious harm caused to his daughter’s health by Garegin Muradyan, which led to the termination of a pregnancy.
Marina Khachatryan insists that she and her ex-husband separated 10 years ago without enmity or conflicts. Marina tried to contact her ex-husband to understand what happened and whether he believed the accusations made against her: “I wanted to hear him out, but he didn’t want to talk to me.”
The Khachatryan family later understood why these events were happening to them. Someone tried to extort money from them, and the businessman’s arrest was organized to carry out their criminal intentions.
The case being investigated in the Russian Federation is based on the testimonies of two secret witnesses whose identities are known to the Khachatryans.
“There is no factual evidence in the case, no proof that Tigran Khachatryan committed a crime. There are only reports from anonymous individuals, as well as our reasonable suspicion that these anonymous witnesses were dispatched from here and testified against Khachatryan,” says Ashot Simonyan, advocate representing the Khachatryan family.
According to Marina Khachatryan, one of the secret witnesses is her mother’s childhood friend, who even lived in their home for some time. The second secret witness was also a person close to the family. Regarding him, a mysterious incident occurred before the arrest. One day, he invited Tigran Khachatryan to a café for coffee. After returning home, café employees contacted Khachatryan and informed him that he had been secretly recorded on audio and video.
Marina Khachatryan believes that this recording may also be used against her father in the criminal case initiated in the Russian Federation.
According to the criminal case, at an unspecified time during the investigation, but no later than December 31, 2023, in Yerevan, Tigran Khachatryan allegedly involved another person in carrying out his criminal intention, who later received witness status under the pseudonym “Avetisyan A.A.” The latter agreed to participate in the murder for a reward of 20,000 USD, committing to find someone who would directly carry out the murder for 80,000 USD. The secret witness, having agreed to participate in the murder, actually informed law enforcement authorities about Tigran Khachatryan’s offer. That is, after receiving the murder contract in Yerevan, he did not go to the local police but went to the Russian Federation and there, at a specific police station, reported the crime.
The woman claims that the criminal group that wants to extort money from their family continues to operate, and one of the group members is currently in one of Armenia’s penitentiary institutions. The Khachatryan family has informed Armenian law enforcement authorities about all this, asked for help, but has not received a proper response.
“My father has never had a criminal past, has never been involved in criminal stories. He has only been a witness in one criminal case, which was a very well-known criminal case. This transnational criminal group has a connection with one of the culprits in that case, about whom my father testified. We even know the person who placed that order against my father with the Russian law enforcement authorities. We have passed this information to the RA law enforcement authorities. Since August, we have been in a very difficult situation because we have not received proper steps or responses from our law enforcement authorities,” notes Marina.
Advocate Ashot Simonyan insists that evidence is lacking in the criminal case, and if it existed, it would have been examined or at least subjected to forensic analysis. According to the Russian preliminary investigation body, on July 16, 2024, Garegin and Aram Muradyan voluntarily cooperated in operational-investigative measures, within which an imitation of their murder was carried out. Then, according to the case materials, the secret witness reported that, in accordance with the preliminary arrangement with Tigran Khachatryan, he informed the latter that the order had been carried out and sent photos of the murder via the internet.
Tigran Khachatryan does not admit guilt. His family and advocates are deeply convinced that an “order” is being carried out against him in Armenia by individuals connected to Russian law enforcement authorities. The Khachatryan family has appealed to the Prosecutor General, the National Security Service, and the Investigative Committee. Although a criminal case has been initiated in the Investigative Committee on the grounds of extortion, the investigation has not moved forward for months.
“This man has effectively become a hostage. I ask our law enforcement authorities, investigative bodies, the Prosecutor General to send investigators there, to cooperate closely with the Russian law enforcement authorities, so that they can resolve this case,” notes Marina.
Tigran Khachatryan’s family has contacted the editorial office of Iravaban.net, familiarizing us with this extraordinary case, our coverage of this matter will continue.
