Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son, Sedrak, were detained Tuesday following raids on businesses linked to their family, according to the country’s Anti-Corruption Committee. A case was opened against Kocharyan, 71, who leads the parliament’s second-largest opposition bloc, on charges including abuse of authority, bribery, and large-scale money laundering.
The detentions occurred less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a contentious exchange in parliament with Kocharyan’s younger son, Levon. The Anti-Corruption Committee stated its investigation into the former president centers on allegations that state assets were illegally sold to private companies for less than their market value during Kocharyan’s tenure from 1998 to 2008.
Four other individuals were also detained as part of the investigation. Kocharyan’s successor, former President Serzh Sargsyan, was reportedly summoned to the Anti-Corruption Committee headquarters. A representative for Kocharyan described the detentions as "yet another attack on President Kocharyan and his family" by authorities, and noted that Kocharyan felt unwell after his detention and was taken to a hospital.
During a parliamentary session, Levon Kocharyan accused Pashinyan of pressuring judicial and law enforcement agencies. Pashinyan responded by questioning the source of the Kocharyan family’s wealth and asserting that any assets acquired at public expense should be returned to the state.
The Armenia Alliance, representing Robert Kocharyan, characterized the case as personal vengeance and "another cynical manifestation of a regime that has lost its legitimacy," stating it was not a legal process but "the open subjugation of the state apparatus."
Kocharyan previously faced charges in 2019 related to the alleged ordering of excessive force by security officers against demonstrators protesting disputed results of the 2008 presidential election, an incident in which at least 10 people died. Those charges were later dropped, and proceedings concluded in 2021.
Analysts suggest the case could intensify the conflict between the pro-Russian opposition, with Kocharyan as a significant figure, and Pashinyan's government, which is pursuing a pro-Western orientation and aims for closer ties with the European Union. The situation is seen by some as a signal to Russia, given Kocharyan's positioning as a proxy figure.