AZE.US
Political analyst and professor of law Namik Aliyev said the final decision on the guilt of Armenian politician Gagik Tsarukyan must be made by a court, while acknowledging that a political element in the case cannot be completely ruled out.
Aliyev made the remarks during an interview with the Daily Europe Online YouTube channel, commenting on the arrest of the leader of the Prosperous Armenia party.
Tsarukyan is suspected of involvement in large-scale fraud. His supporters and lawyers have described the case as politically motivated.
Aliyev said Tsarukyan’s political status should not prevent Armenian investigators from examining allegations against him if they have sufficient legal grounds.
“At the same time, no one can exclude the possibility of a political component,” he said, pointing to the confrontational atmosphere during Armenia’s recent election campaign and the accusations exchanged by political leaders.
According to Aliyev, Tsarukyan’s party failed to clear the electoral threshold and therefore did not enter parliament. As a result, he did not receive parliamentary immunity, giving investigators greater freedom to pursue the case.
Aliyev stressed that he had not reviewed the evidence and could not personally accuse Tsarukyan of any crime.
“From a legal point of view, I cannot bring any accusation against him without specific evidence,” he said. “If the investigative authorities have grounds, there is nothing preventing them from carrying out the necessary proceedings.”
He added that allegations concerning Tsarukyan’s business activities and political background had circulated in Armenian media long before Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power.
Aliyev said investigators should examine the accusations, but emphasized that only a court can determine whether Tsarukyan is guilty.
AZE.US