Armenia: 33 People Detained in Gyumri Following Mayor’s Arrest

In Gyumri, 33 people have been detained as part of a criminal case involving mass riots and obstruction of justice, Orda.kz reports, citing NewsArmenia.am. 

The outlet's source is the Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan.

The unrest broke out during the arrest of Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, who is accused of extortion and bribery. The criminal case, which involves eight city administration officials, was opened by the Anti-Corruption Committee on October 20. 

Ghukasyan and the city’s chief architect reportedly solicited bribes in exchange for legalizing unauthorized construction.

On the morning of October 20, large numbers of law enforcement officers, including “red berets,” surrounded Gyumri City Hall to detain the mayor. Several scuffles broke out as residents and city staff tried to block the arrest. Police eventually dispersed the crowd and transported Ghukasyan to Yerevan, where he remains in the custody of the Anti-Corruption Committee.

The mayor’s lawyer, Aramais Harutyunyan, said his client denies the charges, adding that “only one of the six or seven episodes in the case concerns his time in office.”