{"id":2111129,"date":"2026-08-25T18:19:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T15:19:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2111129"},"modified":"2026-08-25T18:19:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T15:19:56","slug":"armenia-detains-former-president-kocharyan-on-corruption-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2111129","title":{"rendered":"Armenia detains former President Kocharyan on corruption charges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/86\/30\/1200x675_cmsv2_ba31b6e5-0d5d-501a-8f09-41404a09a431-9888630.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920532-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920532\" data-cid=\"9888687\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920532-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" 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class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/85\/77\/189x106_cmsv2_5444d3fe-1ed8-564c-9d70-e85b7bac4219-9888577.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A Slovak police officer stands at the Hungarian-Slovakian border crossing point between Somoskoujfalu, Hungary, and Satorska Bukovinka, southern Slovakia.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Three arrested after Slovak police thwart planned arson attack\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920459-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920459\" data-cid=\"9888282\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920459-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/82\/82\/189x106_cmsv2_23a2e023-60c1-5b9d-938c-feadb6ec33e9-9888282.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A robotic hand reaching into a digital network on a blue background, symbolizing AI technology\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ox Alpha: A powerful, mysterious AI model no one will admit to making\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          Armenia<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Armenia detains former President Kocharyan on corruption charges<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/86\/30\/1536x864_cmsv2_ba31b6e5-0d5d-501a-8f09-41404a09a431-9888630.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE: Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan speaks to journalists as he leaves a polling station during a parliamentary election in Yerevan, 20 June 2021\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE: Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan speaks to journalists as he leaves a polling station during a parliamentary election in Yerevan, 20 June 2021<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspAleksandar Brezar&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbspPeter Barabas\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1787681996\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-08-25 20:19:56 +02:00\">25\/08\/2026 &#8211; 20:19 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width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Robert Kocharyan, who leads the Moscow-friendly opposition and maintains close ties with Putin, was detained alongside his son and four others in raids on family businesses. Analysts say the move sent &#8220;a signal to the Kremlin&#8221; about Pashinyan&#8217;s intent to confront Russian-aligned political forces.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son were detained Tuesday after law enforcement officers conducted searches at dozens of locations linked to the family, the country&#8217;s Anti-Corruption Committee said.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Armenia&#8217;s Prosecutor General&#8217;s Office said it initiated criminal prosecution against Kocharyan, 71, on charges of abuse of authority, bribery, and large-scale money laundering.<\/p>\n<p>The office said it detained four other people besides Kocharyan and his eldest son Sedrak as part of the investigation.<\/p>\n<p>Armenia&#8217;s Anti-Corruption Committee said it was investigating allegations that state assets were illegally sold to private companies below market value during Kocharyan&#8217;s time in office from 1998 to 2008. It further said the case included nine other people besides Kocharyan.<\/p>\n<p>Former President Serzh Sargsyan, who served as Kocharyan&#8217;s prime minister from 2007 to 2008 before becoming president himself from 2008 to 2018, is also facing charges for alleged abuse of power or official authority as part of the case, the committee said.<\/p>\n<p>Sargsyan was summoned to the Anti-Corruption Committee headquarters in Yerevan on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>The elder Kocharyan leads the Moscow-friendly Armenia Alliance, parliament&#8217;s second-largest opposition bloc.<\/p>\n<p>Bagrat Mikoyan, who heads his office, described the detentions as &#8220;yet another attack on President Kocharyan and his family&#8221; by authorities. He added that Kocharyan felt ill after his detention and was taken to a hospital.<\/p>\n<p>During his mandate as Armenia&#8217;s president, Kocharyan deepened Yerevan&#8217;s links to Moscow, signing a declaration of &#8220;allied partnership&#8221; with the Kremlin and overseeing a significant expansion of Russian investment in Armenia&#8217;s economy.<\/p>\n<p>He has maintained close personal ties with Vladimir Putin. In 2021, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two had &#8220;good relations for a very long time&#8221; and were frequently in contact.<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;A signal to the Kremlin&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>The raids came less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan clashed with Kocharyan&#8217;s younger son, Levon \u2014 who is part of Kocharyan senior&#8217;s bloc \u2014 in a fiery exchange in parliament.<\/p>\n<p>During a parliamentary question-and-answer session, Levon Kocharyan accused Pashinyan of pressuring the courts and law enforcement agencies to open investigations against individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Pashinyan responded by asking Levon Kocharyan where his family&#8217;s wealth came from, saying any assets gained at public expense should be returned to the state.<\/p>\n<p>Robert Kocharyan went on trial in 2019, accused of ordering the illegal use of force by security officers against demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in the 2008 presidential election. At least 10 people were killed in the clashes. The charges were later dropped, and the legal proceedings ended in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Analyst Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute in Yerevan, said that critics have long accused Kocharyan of corruption while in power.<\/p>\n<p>Iskandaryan said the case will intensify the conflict between the pro-Russian opposition and Pashinyan&#8217;s government, which is pursuing a pro-Western course and prioritising closer ties with the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Of course, this is a signal to the Kremlin,&#8221; Iskandaryan said. &#8220;Kocharyan effectively positions himself as a Russian proxy, and we see a trend where the authorities have begun to fight \u2014 intensively and by all possible means \u2014 against political forces aligned with Russia.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Pro-Kremlin actors launch large scale disinformation campaign targeting Armenia&#8217;s elections<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Armenia announces historic intention to apply for EU membership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pashinyan, who was elected to office on the back of a 2018 street revolution, has often portrayed himself as a man of the people and supports closer ties with the West. The 51-year-old&#8217;s party was re-elected in June.<\/p>\n<p>The leader of the largest opposition party \u2014 Armenian-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan \u2014 was arrested last year on suspicion of calling for the overthrow of Pashinyan.<\/p>\n<p>Karapetyan is the founder of Russia&#8217;s Tashir Group of Companies and has an estimated fortune of $4.1 billion (\u20ac3.5bn) \u2014 close to half of Armenia&#8217;s annual public budget. He built his wealth primarily in Russia and also holds Russian and Cypriot citizenship.<\/p>\n<p>In his criminal trial in April, Karapetyan told the court that he had begun the process of renouncing his Russian and Cypriot citizenships to be eligible to run in the June 2026 parliamentary elections. He and his lawyers have denied all charges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-contributors c-article-contributors-supplementary u-margin-top-2 u-padding-top-2\">\n<p>Additional sources<strong> \u2022 AP<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Armenia announces historic intention to apply for EU membership<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Von der Leyen unveils major EU support initiatives in strategic trip to Armenia<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Von der Leyen to visit Pashinyan in Yerevan to build on Armenia\u2019s pro-EU vote<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Armenia politics<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Armenia<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Robert Kocharyan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Nikol Pashinyan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920484-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920484\" data-cid=\"9888430\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920484-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/84\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_4553b70f-bb66-5909-a3be-ceff11e4f2fe-9888430.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ont. on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada hits US goods with 50% tariffs as trade war escalates<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920402-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920402\" data-cid=\"9888006\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920402-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/80\/06\/320x180_cmsv2_6cd7b6b3-e72d-5357-93f9-4af1c1c9f068-9888006.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"France&apos;s President Emmanuel Macron speaking via video conference during the Coalition of the Willing meeting, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 24, 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c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920023-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object 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Now it&#8217;s backfiring<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920025-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920025\" data-cid=\"9886044\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada walked away from Trump. 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id=\"abe-2920484-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920484\" data-cid=\"9888430\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920484-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/84\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_4553b70f-bb66-5909-a3be-ceff11e4f2fe-9888430.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ont. on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada hits US goods with 50% tariffs as trade war escalates<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920402-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920402\" data-cid=\"9888006\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920402-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/80\/06\/320x180_cmsv2_6cd7b6b3-e72d-5357-93f9-4af1c1c9f068-9888006.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"France&apos;s President Emmanuel Macron speaking via video conference during the Coalition of the Willing meeting, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Exclusive: France wants to limit Ukraine&#8217;s non-European procurement<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920532-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/83\/58\/320x180_cmsv2_7be52bd1-8c36-5fe3-b3e8-0599a1e2dd62-9888358.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"CIA Director John Ratcliffe speaks at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, July 15, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    CIA director Ratcliffe makes secret trip to Moscow, US reports claim<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920444-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920444\" data-cid=\"9888194\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920444-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/67\/91\/77\/320x180_cmsv2_79a3343f-9267-5436-b8f4-5edb5b16646a-9679177.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Brussels and Beijing started last June trade talks.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Exclusive: EU officials to travel to China as October deadline looms<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920023-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920023\" data-cid=\"9886041\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Netherlands withdraws from &#8216;no longer&#8217; neutral 2027 Eurovision<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920037-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920037\" data-cid=\"9886120\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Meloni made migrant &#8216;returns&#8217; popular in the EU. Now it&#8217;s backfiring<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920025-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920025\" data-cid=\"9886044\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada walked away from Trump. Could the EU ever do the same?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2919966-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2919966\" data-cid=\"9886076\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iranian state TV airs video targeting Barron Trump with $10m bounty<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920328-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920328\" data-cid=\"9887542\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Conservatives, liberals call to freeze EU cash for Romania over mayor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his eldest son were detained Tuesday after law enforcement officers conducted searches at dozens of locations linked to the family, the country&#8217;s Anti-Corruption Committee said.Armenia&#8217;s Prosecutor General&#8217;s Office said it initiated criminal prosecution against Kocharyan, 71, on charges of abuse of authority, bribery, and large-scale money laundering.The office said it detained four other people besides Kocharyan and his eldest son Sedrak as part of the investigation.Armenia&#8217;s Anti-Corruption Committee said it was investigating allegations that state assets were illegally sold to private companies below market value during Kocharyan&#8217;s time in office from 1998 to 2008. It further said the case included nine other people besides Kocharyan.Former President Serzh Sargsyan, who served as Kocharyan&#8217;s prime minister from 2007 to 2008 before becoming president himself from 2008 to 2018, is also facing charges for alleged abuse of power or official authority as part of the case, the committee said.Sargsyan was summoned to the Anti-Corruption Committee headquarters in Yerevan on Tuesday.The elder Kocharyan leads the Moscow-friendly Armenia Alliance, parliament&#8217;s second-largest opposition bloc.Bagrat Mikoyan, who heads his office, described the detentions as &#8220;yet another attack on President Kocharyan and his family&#8221; by authorities. He added that Kocharyan felt ill after his detention and was taken to a hospital.During his mandate as Armenia&#8217;s president, Kocharyan deepened Yerevan&#8217;s links to Moscow, signing a declaration of &#8220;allied partnership&#8221; with the Kremlin and overseeing a significant expansion of Russian investment in Armenia&#8217;s economy.He has maintained close personal ties with Vladimir Putin. In 2021, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two had &#8220;good relations for a very long time&#8221; and were frequently in contact.&#8217;A signal to the Kremlin&#8217;The raids came less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan clashed with Kocharyan&#8217;s younger son, Levon \u2014 who is part of Kocharyan senior&#8217;s bloc \u2014 in a fiery exchange in parliament.During a parliamentary question-and-answer session, Levon Kocharyan accused Pashinyan of pressuring the courts and law enforcement agencies to open investigations against individuals.Pashinyan responded by asking Levon Kocharyan where his family&#8217;s wealth came from, saying any assets gained at public expense should be returned to the state.Robert Kocharyan went on trial in 2019, accused of ordering the illegal use of force by security officers against demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in the 2008 presidential election. At least 10 people were killed in the clashes. The charges were later dropped, and the legal proceedings ended in 2021.Analyst Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute in Yerevan, said that critics have long accused Kocharyan of corruption while in power.Iskandaryan said the case will intensify the conflict between the pro-Russian opposition and Pashinyan&#8217;s government, which is pursuing a pro-Western course and prioritising closer ties with the European Union.&#8221;Of course, this is a signal to the Kremlin,&#8221; Iskandaryan said. &#8220;Kocharyan effectively positions himself as a Russian proxy, and we see a trend where the authorities have begun to fight \u2014 intensively and by all possible means \u2014 against political forces aligned with Russia.&#8221;Pashinyan, who was elected to office on the back of a 2018 street revolution, has often portrayed himself as a man of the people and supports closer ties with the West. The 51-year-old&#8217;s party was re-elected in June.The leader of the largest opposition party \u2014 Armenian-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan \u2014 was arrested last year on suspicion of calling for the overthrow of Pashinyan.Karapetyan is the founder of Russia&#8217;s Tashir Group of Companies and has an estimated fortune of $4.1 billion (\u20ac3.5bn) \u2014 close to half of Armenia&#8217;s annual public budget. He built his wealth primarily in Russia and also holds Russian and Cypriot citizenship.In his criminal trial in April, Karapetyan told the court that he had begun the process of renouncing his Russian and Cypriot citizenships to be eligible to run in the June 2026 parliamentary elections. He and his lawyers have denied all charges.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/08\/25\/armenia-detains-former-president-kocharyan-on-corruption-charges&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/86\/30\/1200x675_cmsv2_ba31b6e5-0d5d-501a-8f09-41404a09a431-9888630.jpg&#8221;] Culture news Country music icon Dolly Parton dies aged 80, family announces Space Sophie Adenot makes her second spacewalk Europe News Three arrested after Slovak police thwart planned arson attack Tech News Ox Alpha: A powerful, mysterious AI model no one will admit to making Culture news Country music icon Dolly Parton [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2111129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2111129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111129\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2111129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2111129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2111129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}