Armenia ex-president Serzh Sargsyan’s travel ban lifted

The travel ban imposed in the new criminal case against third president Serzh Sargsyan has been lifted, informed the Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia.

“Since the judge was a substitute, he could not lift [this travel ban]. The judge obligated the prosecutor’s office to lift the imposed travel ban,” the court explained.

The new proceedings relate to a criminal case initiated in 2019 based on the testimony of the late businessman Mikhail Bagdasarov. And as part of this case, Serzh Sargsyan was barred from leaving Armenia.

A public criminal prosecution was launched against Serzh Sargsyan for demanding and receiving a large bribe from Russian-based businessman Mikhail Bagdasarov in 1998-2010, which was manifested by transferring half of the income received to Sargsyan in exchange for conducting business in Armenia on preferential terms, the prosecution had noted.

The criminal prosecution was initiated under an article of the former Criminal Code of Armenia, which corresponds to the article of the current Criminal Code of Armenia on receiving a large bribe, the prosecution had added.