2015 syndicate ringleader set free on 1,000,000 dram bail

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. A Yerevan court has set free Arthur Vardanyan, the ringleader of the 2015 "Nork Marash armed group."

Vardanyan was jailed in pre-trial detention and Judge Mesrop Makyan of the Yerevan city court approved his motion and released him on a 1,000,000 dram bail.

Former deputy defense minister Vahan Shirkhanyan is also a defendant in the trial.

In 2015, Armenian intelligence agencies said the syndicate – which later became known as the Nork Marash armed group - planned to down the presidential aircraft, attack the presidential residence, the governmental HQ, the Parliament Seat, the Constitutional Court building and other state buildings.

According to authorities the group wanted to overthrow the then-government led by Serzh Sargsyan.

Intelligence agencies gathered the information and apprehended all members of the syndicate in November 2015, when national security agents stormed the compound of the syndicate in Yerevan’s Nork Marash district. The location of the compound was the reason why the media dubbed the syndicate – Nork Marash Armed Group.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan