Armenian authorities raid residence and businesses of opposition figure Tsarukyan
The Armenian authorities have launched searches in over 70 addresses associated with Gagik Tsarukyan, a tycoon and leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia party.
Prosperous Armenia spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan has told reporters that the raids took place early Monday morning.
‘We are talking about more than a dozen enterprises, including the Ararat Cement plant [and] the Yerevan brandy-Wine-Vodka plant’, Tonoyan said, according to independent media outlet Civilnet. RFE/RL has ci
The outlet has also reported that law enforcement also began searching Tsarukyan’s Multi Wellness Centre in Yerevan in the morning, and had asked customers to leave the gym.
According to RFE/RL, the Investigative Committee said the raids were being conducted in relation to ‘more than a dozen criminal proceedings’, and that they would issue an official statement on the matter at a later time.
Tsarukyan’s lawyer, Emin Khachatryan, told RFE/RL that the authorities attempted to bar Tsarukyan from entering his house, but that the tycoon was allowed inside after some time.
Tonoyan has also issued a statement saying the police were ‘acting on the instructions of [Prime Minister] Nikol Pashinyan’.
In late June, the authorities asked the Central Election Commission (CEC) to lift Tsarukyan’s parliamentary immunity, less than a month after running in the 7 June parliamentary elections.
Prosperous Armenia failed to enter parliament, falling just shy of reaching the 4% threshold needed to secure seats.
