On 31 March, the Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Judge Narine Avagyan, continued the examination of the claim of confiscation of illicit property from the former Governor of Syunik Surik Khachatryan and 5 people related to him in favor of the Republic of Armenia.

His wife Loreta Barseghyan, sons Tigran and Trdat Khachatryan, their related persons Vardan Barseghyan, Manvel Malintsyan, Erik Hambardzumyan, Lusine Barseghyan and Norayr Mnatsakanyan appeared on the list. The application is for the confiscation of properties and assets of illicit origin with a value of about 19.1 billion AMD.

According to Iravaban.net, Gevorg Kocharyan, the Senior Prosecutor of the Department for Confiscation of Property of Illicit Origin of the RA General Prosecutor’s Office, presented a motion today to involve a new defendant in the case.

“According to the petition, a material and legal claim was also submitted to Vardan Musheghi Barseghyan, as the owner of the properties mentioned in several points, belonging to Surik Khachatryan in the sense of the Law “On Confiscation of Property of Illegal Origin”. Taking into account that Vardan Barseghyan has been married to Haykuhi Mikayelyan since 2003, and the property rights stated in the mentioned points were acquired later, they are the joint property of the spouses,” the prosecutor noted, adding that the title of owners of properties belonging to Surik Khachatryan in the sense of the above-mentioned law are Vardan Barseghyan and Haykuhi Mikayelyan.

Gevorg Kocharyan claims that it is necessary to involve Haykuhi Mikayelyan as a new defendant in the case and to allow the change of both the basis and object of the claim, as well as the material legal claim directed at the defendant.

The prosecutor requested to add the following contents in the claim: “To confiscate the “Lexus” brand car belonging to Surik Khachatryan from Vardan Barseghyan and Haykuhi Mikayelyan in favor of the RA, in accordance with the law, and in case of impossibility, confiscate from Surik Khachatryan its average market value of 24 million 750,000 AMD, as well as the “Toyota Camry” car produced in 2012.”

The representative of the defendants, Vahagn Grigoryan, stated that he does not object to the motion to involve a new defendant.

Then Vahagn Grigoryan expressed that he has no objection to the motion. The court will announce its decision on 19 May at 14:00.