Court keeps Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasyan in custody

The court rejected a motion by the lawyers of Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasyan to lift his arrest, and he will remain in detention. The criminal case concerns the alleged receipt of a large bribe amounting to 4 million drams.

According to investigators, Ghukasyan, together with the city’s former chief architect, demanded money in exchange for patronage and unlawful actions in favor of a third party. In addition, he and a number of officials are charged with forgery of official documents. The court’s decision means that the custodial measure remains in force and the investigation is ongoing.