The website Medianews.az reviewed the allegations brought against Qagik Sarukyan, the leader of the Bright Armenia Party.
Qagik Sarukyan, who was detained in the capital Yerevan on July 6, is accused of fraud, money laundering, and illegal hunting. The first instance court of the capital chose a two-month pre-trial detention measure for him on July 7.
According to the claim by the Investigative Committee, between 2022 and 2024, the group led by Qagik Sarukyan established companies under the name of developing Armenia-Iran economic relations, during which fraud caused more than 21 million dollars in damage to the state, and an Iranian citizen had 934 thousand dollars embezzled.
Regarding the accusation involving the organization of illegal hunting of wild animals and the maintenance of an unofficial zoological park, it is noted that damage exceeding 81 thousand dollars was inflicted on the environment.
Born in 1956, Qagik Sarukyan was engaged in boxing, wrestling, and other sports in his youth, and worked as a physical education teacher and coach. He is the president of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia.
He has been involved in entrepreneurial activities since the 1980s and later became a major businessman.
Qagik Sarukyan entered politics in 2000 and founded the Bright Armenia Party in 2004. He was elected as a member of parliament in 2003, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2018.
In the parliamentary elections held on June 7 this year, three forces obtained mandates in the 105-member legislative body: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party took 64 seats, the Strong Armenia bloc linked to businessman Samvel Karapetyan gained 29, and the Armenia bloc connected to former president Robert Kocharyan took 12 seats.
The Bright Armenia Party, one of the fortunate participants in the election, did not manage to secure any mandates.
Toğrul Ali,
Medianews.az