Khachatrian, who successively headed Armenia’s State Revenue Committee and Finance Ministry from 2008 to 2016, was earlier charged in new criminal proceedings initiated by prosecutors.
He was detained by National Security Service officers and taken to court on Tuesday in connection with a new criminal case involving allegations of bribery, embezzlement, illegal disposal of property, and concealment of the criminal origin of money.
Khachatrian’s legal team released videos showing the former official apparently groaning in pain as law-enforcement officers move him from his bed onto a stretcher before taking him to court by ambulance. Another video showed Khachatrian lying on a hospital gurney in the courtroom with medical equipment attached.
The lawyers claimed their client “is not only deprived of his fundamental right to receive proper medical care, but is also subjected to inhumane treatment and torture.”
Prosecutors, however, have cited an expert assessment according to which Khachatrian “does not have any health problems that could prevent him from participating in any procedural action in the criminal proceedings.”
The office of Armenia’s ombudsperson said on Wednesday it had immediately launched a procedure to examine the circumstances surrounding Khachatrian’s detention after the footage was released. It said a representative visited him at the detention center to examine issues related to ensuring his rights.
The Ombudsman’s office added that the issues raised during the visit “have already been addressed in discussions with relevant bodies, while some of them are being resolved.”
Khachatrian and members of his family are also facing a separate case before Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court involving allegedly illicitly acquired assets worth tens of millions of dollars.