Armenian opposition leader charged with fraud to be held for two months

The leader of a pro-Russian Armenian opposition party was placed in pre-trial detention for two months on Tuesday after being detained on suspicion of
large-scale fraud and money laundering, the Armenpress news agency reported, citing a court ruling.
Gagik Tsarukyan, a billionaire businessman, was arrested on Monday along with an associate on suspicion of fraudulently importing vehicles, machinery, fuel and other goods worth $21 million from Iran between 2022 and 2024, Armenpress reported.
After winning re-election last month against an array of mostly pro-Russian opposition parties, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan pledged to act against what he called the “three-headed spy party of war”, referring to the three main opposition groups: Strong Armenia, the Armenia Alliance and Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia.