Why was Robert Kocharyan detained and charged in Armenia?

State prosecutors said he faced corruption-related charges over actions during his presidency. They alleged he used his official position to move state-owned property to himself and associates on favorable terms and to hide the property's criminal origin.

How long did Robert Kocharyan serve as Armenia's president?

He served from 1998 to 2008. The accusations against him concern conduct during that period in office.

What else is happening in Armenia's crackdown on opposition figures?

Pashinyan's critics say the government is pursuing a wider campaign against opponents. The article says the church leader is on trial, while Gagik Tsarukyan is in pre-trial detention and Samvel Karapetyan is under house arrest.

Armenian ex-president Kocharyan charged with corruption in crackdown on government critics

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Summary

Armenian state prosecutors detained former President Robert Kocharyan on Tuesday and formally charged him with corruption-related offences tied to his years in office. Prosecutors said he used his position from 1998 to 2008 to transfer state-owned property to himself and associates on advantageous terms and to conceal its criminal origin. Kocharyan has previously denied wrongdoing, and his lawyer was not immediately available to comment. The case comes as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces criticism over a broad crackdown on opposition figures, church leaders and civil society groups.

Key Facts

Kocharyan served as Armenia's president from 1998 to 2008.
The prosecutor general said he transferred state-owned property to himself and associates on advantageous terms.
The prosecutor general also accused him of concealing the criminal origin of that property.
Pashinyan's critics say his government has targeted opposition politicians, church leaders and civil society groups.
Armenia's church leader is on trial, while Gagik Tsarukyan is in pre-trial detention and Samvel Karapetyan is under house arrest.

By Reuters

Published Aug 25, 2026 9:48 pm KST
Updated Aug 25, 2026 10:04 pm KST

State prosecutors in Armenia on Tuesday detained Robert Kocharyan, a prominent opposition leader and a former president, and formally charged him with a slew of corruption-related offences during his time in office.

Armenia's prosecutor general said in a statement that Kocharyan, who served as president from 1998 to 2008, had used his then-official position to transfer state-owned property to himself and his associates at "advantageous terms," and to conceal the "criminal origin" of that property.

It was not immediately clear how Kocharyan, who has criticised the government for moving away from traditional ally Russia, responded to the accusations, though he has previously denied any wrongdoing during his time in office.

Aram Orbelyan, a lawyer for Kocharyan, was not in an immediate position to reply to a request for comment.

Since winning reelection in June, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has pursued what his critics view as a wide-ranging crackdown on his fiercest opponents, including opposition politicians, church leaders and civil society groups.

The head of Armenia's church is currently on trial in a case the church maintains is politicized, while two other leading opposition figures, Gagik Tsarukyan and Samvel Karapetyan, are being held in pre-trial detention and under house arrest, respectively, ahead of pending trials.

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