Prominent Armenian doctor to remain in custody pending trial

YEREVAN, July 8. /ARKA/. A prominent Armenian doctor Armen Charchyan, the director of the Izmirlian Medical Center in Yerevan, who ran for the parliament in June 20 snap parliamentary elections on the opposition Hayastan bloc’s ticket, will remain in custody, his  lawyers told reporters today after  the Court of Appeal turned down their appeal.

Charchyan is accused of pressuring his subordinates to participate in the June 20 parliamentary elections and vote for the Hayastan bloc.

"The ruling of the Court of Appeal is unacceptable, since there are no grounds to keep Mr. Charchyan under arrest," lawyer Erik Aleksanyan said.

Earlier, the 61-year-old Charchyan had undergone a surgery due to health problems (he has diabetes mellitus and heart problems). Now he is kept in Vardashen prison not far from the capital Yerevan.

On June 28, seven deputies of the Armenian parliament submitted a personal guarantee, petitioning to replace Charchyan's arrest with a non-custodial measure.

In a leaked video Charchyan  demands that the personnel of the Izmirlian medical center take part in the parliamentary elections, otherwise he will act "harsh" with those who won't.

The investigation believes that Charchyan used his official position, forcing his subordinates to vote against the current government.

He is charged with obstruction of the free expression of the will of voters, giving and receiving electoral bribes, violation of the ban on charity during elections.

He was indicted under an article of the Criminal Code that prohibits any coercion of voters.- 0--