Former Armenian Labor Minister Artem Asatryan Arrested in Expanding Anti-Corruption Probe; New Charges Filed Against Ex-Official Arman Sahakyan

YEREVAN — Several individuals have been arrested within the framework of a criminal investigation being conducted by Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee, including former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan and other former high-ranking officials.

The Anti-Corruption Committee stated that the detainees face accusations under various articles of Armenia’s Criminal Code related to alleged criminal offenses. Officials declined to provide further details, citing the interests of the ongoing preliminary investigation.

The committee confirmed that former head of the State Property Management Department Arman Sahakyan has also been detained in connection with the same criminal proceedings.

In a related development, Sahakyan has been presented with new charges in a corruption case involving abuse of official powers and money laundering. His attorney, Emin Khachatryan, declined to disclose details, stating that he had been warned not to reveal investigative secrets, but noted that the case dates back approximately 10 years.

It remains unclear whether the Anti-Corruption Committee intends to seek a pretrial measure against Sahakyan.

A member of the Republican Party of Armenia, Sahakyan headed the State Property Management Department from 2011 to 2018. Last year, the opposition party council member was also detained on new charges before later being released.

Since 2018, law enforcement authorities have accused Sahakyan of corruption-related offenses, specifically abuse of office. Within the same case, Sahakyan and 12 others have also been charged with money laundering. Sahakyan has denied all allegations, while Armenia’s Investigative Committee has previously maintained that the charges are well-founded.