An Anti-Corruption Civil Court session took place regarding the case of confiscation of allegedly illegally obtained property belonging to Vahagn Vermishyan, former head of the Urban Development Committee and former chief architect of Stepanavan city. The session is presided over by Judge Karapet Badalyan.

In an interview with Iravaban.net, Vermishyan’s representative, lawyer Armen Melkumyan, said that at this session they petitioned for the termination of civil proceedings regarding the confiscation of allegedly illegally obtained property against Vahagn, Margarit, and Susanna Vermishyan, as well as third parties who do not present independent claims regarding the subject of the dispute – “Ameriabank” CJSC and “Ardshinbank” CJSC.

According to the defendants’ representatives, given that the plaintiff’s purpose in initiating the investigation against Vermishyan and his family members and subsequently filing the lawsuit was to prevent and combat corruption in the public service sector, which constitutes a “public interest,” the defendant can have confiscated at most:

• Only property acquired after March 21, 2019, including monetary funds, whose legal origin is not substantiated by the evidence available in the civil case and presented by the defendant’s representatives,
• Property acquired after September 2019, including monetary funds, whose origin has a causal connection with the commission of crimes attributed to V. Vermishyan. Moreover, the causal connection between the crimes attributed to V. Vermishyan and the emergence of property subject to confiscation must overcome the evidentiary threshold of “beyond reasonable doubt,” the specific conditions for overcoming which are defined, among other things, in ECHR precedential decisions.

Citing essential circumstances, the defendants requested that the submitted motion be satisfied, while the plaintiff’s representative requested time to familiarize themselves with it and express a complete position.

The next session in the case is scheduled for May 27.

Earlier, in an interview with Iravaban.net, Vermishyan’s representatives spoke about the Constitutional Court decision, its subsequent impact, and the possibility of terminating this case.

Video available here.