MP Seyran Ohanyan to face 4 counts of abuse of power if parliament greenlights prosecution request

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian parliament will debate the Prosecutor-General’s motion seeking to prosecute Member of Parliament and head of the Hayastan faction Seyran Ohanyan.

Ohanyan, a former minister of defense, will face 4 counts of abuse of power if parliament approves the motion.

Article 97 of the Constitution requires law enforcement authorities to obtain the consent of Parliament in order to prosecute a legislator.

Ohanyan is suspected of illegally approving the sale of a military base’s land plot owned by the ministry of defense during his tenure as defense minister. The land plot is said to have been intentionally sold at lower cost to a designated individual and then used as collateral to obtain a loan.

Furthermore, prosecutors have also filed two other motions to parliament asking permission to prosecute Ohanyan. One of the motions is classified and only the lawmakers who have clearance to classified information will debate the motion.