Arrest of former Minister of Finance and former head of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia

The Office of the Ombudsman of Armenia has reacted to the circulated footage on social media showing the detention of former Minister of Finance and former head of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia, Gagik Khachatryan, who has health issues, and his transport to court on a stretcher.

In a statement released on Facebook, it is noted that at the initiative of Armenia's human rights defender, Anait Manasyan, a discussion process has begun immediately. "By the order of the Ombudsman of Armenia, a visit to the correctional institution is currently being carried out for a personal conversation with the individual and to study the circumstances related to the provision of his rights. Clarifications are required from the competent authorities to clarify the main circumstances related to the issue," the Ombudsman's office stated.

According to the source, the position of the human rights defender will be presented after a complete summary of the results of the visit, the clarifications obtained, and the study of all relevant circumstances of the case. "Information to be published will be provided by the Ombudsman's staff additionally," they summarized in the Ombudsman's office.

Recall that by the decision of the General Prosecutor's Office dated August 29, 2026, the criminal case initiated on June 7, 2026, against the former head of the SRC was modified and supplemented, and a new public criminal prosecution was initiated. Khachatryan was detained on September 1 after law enforcement conducted searches in his apartments and in the apartments of his son, as well as in the offices and branches of 21 affiliated companies.

These actions were carried out within the framework of a criminal case regarding the receipt of bribes in particularly large amounts and money laundering in particularly large amounts. On September 2, a preventive measure in the form of arrest for a period of 2 months was applied against him.

Additionally, on September 1, the lawyers of the former head of the SRC of Armenia released a video showing how the ailing Khachatryan was literally dragged out of bed and placed on a stretcher to be taken to court. In the court itself, the former minister was laid on chairs, which was qualified by the lawyers as a continuation of torture.