On September 30, Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court of Appeals upheld the verdict of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, which had found former Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan guilty under Article 308(1) of the 2003 Criminal Code for abuse of official authority during his time in office.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the charges concerned actions taken by Tovmassian while serving as justice minister, specifically misuse of official powers.
The initial ruling, delivered on September 20, 2024, found Tovmasyan guilty on two points under the specified article. However, the court released him from criminal liability, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations, which had lapsed in 2019.
Prosecutors appealed the ruling, challenging the legal classification of the acts and the justification for applying the statute of limitations. Tovmasyan’s defense, in turn, appealed the conviction, requesting his full acquittal.
After reviewing both appeals, the Anti-Corruption Court of Appeals dismissed them and ruled to leave the lower court’s verdict unchanged.
Note: An individual accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision under the law.
