YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. Moscow’s Presnensky district court on February 21 will examine the prosecution’s request to extend the term of detention of businessman Aram Petrosyan who took hostages in the Citibank Moscow branch, the court’s press secretary Anastasia Pilina told RIA Novosti.

“The court hearing over extending the term of detention of Petrosyan is scheduled on February 21, at 13:30”, she said.

Petrosyan is accused of terrorism and hostage-taking, he is under custody by the court’s decision, the deadline for custody is until February 24.

Late on August 24, 2016 the broke businessman from the Moscow region seized a Citibank office in downtown Moscow. Petrosyan had a box wrapped in yellow tape that he claimed was an explosive device and threatened to blow up the office.The hostage taker demanded that the current law on personal bankruptcy be canceled and that "a personal bankruptcy institution" be established to address the problems of bankrupt businessmen.

When the man entered the bank, there were six people inside: three clients, two cashiers and a security guard. A female employee was the first to be freed: she told the hostage taker that she was pregnant and could suddenly feel bad, and he let her go. After that, the security guard fled the building. By 10.00 p.m. Moscow time, the perpetrator freed all hostages and surrendered to police.

Law enforcers said the perpetrator had no real explosive device. The box was a mockup. Investigators say the motive for the crime was that the man had been in a serious financial hot water.