Epress.am News from Armenia
The National Security Service’s (NSS) 2-month arrest warrant for Vanik Asatryan, a former MP of the “Tsarukyan” fraction has been approved by the court. Asatryan is charged for bribing voters to vote for the Prosperous Armenia Party in the 2017 April parliamentary elections.
Gagik Tsarukyan, head of the “Prosperous Armenia” party, a known oligarch is charged for organizing elections rigging. Asatryan’s charges are brought within the same criminal case. Tsarukyan was stripped of his parliamentary immunity earlier in June, however the court did not approve his arrest warrant. Abraham Manukyan, another former MP from the Prosperous Armenia party is also arrested.
The NSS earlier called on citizens to cooperate with the Service and report of evidences related to electoral bribery. The press service of NSS has already released statements that citizens testify of receiving bribes from Prosperous Armenia. Namely, a citizen from Mrgashen village reported of taking a bribe in 2017.