The former Minister of Finance of Armenia, Gagik Khachatryan, has been detained.

Today, the Investigative Committee of Armenia issued a warrant for the arrest of Gagik Khachatryan in a case of receiving bribes and money laundering on a particularly large scale. Searches were conducted in the apartments of Khachatryan and his son, as well as in the offices of about 21 companies affiliated with them.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 31, the Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia extended for three months the measure of restraint in the form of house arrest against the former Minister of Education and Science, Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party, Armen Ashotyan.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, Khachatryan is accused of receiving a bribe on a particularly large scale from the director of the companies "Progress Armenia" and "Local Developers" in 2008-2010, reports today the publication "News-Armenia".

According to the prosecution, for general protection of the business, Khachatryan received real estate registered in the names of his sons. The total value of the real estate according to formal sales contracts amounted to 484 million drams (1 million 300 thousand dollars), while its total market value at the time of the transactions was estimated at 2.2 billion drams (about 6 million dollars).

Another episode concerns the alleged embezzlement of budget funds during the reconstruction and equipping of the "Dilijan" training center. According to the prosecution, large sums were additionally paid to the contractor due to exceeding the average market value of the actual work performed.

Khachatryan is also accused of participating in a scheme of illegal alienation of real estate belonging to the Brusov University with an area of 451.1 square meters. According to the prosecution, to create an additional financial burden on the university, the salaries of teachers were artificially increased by 25%. Subsequently, the university received a budget loan of 200 million drams (about 550 thousand dollars).

The fourth episode concerns the alleged laundering of 151 million drams (about 415 thousand dollars). According to the prosecution, this involves transactions with a real estate complex in Gyumri, which was subsequently used as collateral for obligations.

In addition to criminal proceedings, the Anti-Corruption Court is considering claims for the confiscation of illegally obtained property from Khachatryan and related persons, including his sons. The Prosecutor General's Office demands the confiscation of 193 real estate objects, shares in 29 legal entities, 14 units of movable property, purchased bonds worth about 1.5 billion dollars, and a bank deposit of about 147 thousand dollars.

The domestic legal means of protecting the life and health of the former Minister of Finance and former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the RA, Gagik Khachatryan, are practically exhausted. This is stated in a statement from Gagik Khachatryan's group of lawyers, reports the publication "Arminfo".

The attached video captures footage of Khachatryan's detention by the SNB officers, as well as scenes of treatment that, according to the assessment of the lawyer group, may be considered torture.

"71-year-old Gagik Khachatryan is not only deprived of his fundamental right to receive proper medical care, but is also subjected to inhumane treatment and torture. Just in the last three months, he has been twice delivered in a semi-conscious state on a stretcher to participate in investigative actions," the statement says.

The lawyers reminded that back in 2015, Khachatryan was diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis. He has special implants in his cervical spine that are not used in medical institutions in Armenia.

"According to the conclusions of doctors and forensic medical examination, Khachatryan needs urgent surgical intervention, which cannot be performed in Armenia," demanded Gagik Khachatryan's defenders.

Gagik Khachatryan headed the State Revenue Committee of Armenia from 2008 to 2014, and from 2014 to 2016 he served as the Minister of Finance of the Republic, the publication clarifies.

Since June 2025, there have been series of arrests of political opponents of the current government in Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the opposition's preparation for a coup in the country. A new wave of arrests intensified in connection with the elections to the country's parliament.