Armenian Anti-Corruption Committee Arrests Gyumri Mayor and Officials on Bribery Charges

The Armenian Anti-Corruption Committee has detained eight people — including Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan and the city’s chief architect — in a high-profile corruption case involving large-scale bribery, Orda.kz reports, citing Golosarmenii.am.

According to investigators, the officials are suspected of extorting 4 million drams (around $10,000) from a local resident in exchange for “legalizing” an illegally constructed building of roughly 1,500 square meters.

They allegedly promised not to order the demolition and to prepare falsified documentation confirming the building’s legality.

Before his arrest, Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan had urged residents to “defend the city and its dignity” amid law enforcement actions aimed at removing him from office.

The time has come to stand up for our city and our dignity. Right now, actions are being taken inside city hall to remove the mayor. But we must understand that this is not about one person — it’s about the independence of our entire city. The state must not violate Gyumri’s independence. We, the residents of Gyumri, are obliged to preserve our right to elect and defend our mayor,
 Ghukasyan wrote on his Telegram channel.

According to News.am, security forces arrived at the Gyumri City Hall earlier today to detain the suspects in the ongoing bribery investigation. Reportedly, between 60 and 70 officers entered the building, ordered employees to lie on the floor, and arrested Mayor Ghukasyan.

News.am also reported that a scuffle broke out between local residents and security officers outside the city administration building.

The committee later opened a criminal case.

The proceedings have been launched under three articles of the Armenian Criminal Code:

• Participation in mass riots
  
• Interference in the lawful official or political activities of an official
  
• Interference in the administration of justice or investigation of a case

At the same time, Armenia’s Ombudsman, Anahit Manasyan, stated that her office is examining reports of citizens’ rights violations during the clashes in front of the Gyumri city hall. The Human Rights Defender’s Office, she said, is reviewing all circulating information to ensure an appropriate response within its legal mandate.

Alleged Scheme

The investigation claims that Mayor Ghukasyan and the chief architect acted in collusion, meeting with the building’s owner and agreeing to receive the bribe in several installments.

Authorities also allege that members of the same group collected compromising information on city council deputies to control them through blackmail. In addition, Ghukasyan is accused of attempting to privatize, via a proxy, a parcel of land managed by the municipality.

Political Background

According to The Insider, Vardan Ghukasyan is known for his pro-Russian stance. In April 2025, he was elected mayor of Gyumri for the second time.

Gyumri is Armenia’s second-largest city and hosts Russia’s 102nd military base — a key component of Moscow’s military presence in the South Caucasus.

Residential districts near the base are home to many families of Russian service members.

In an interview with NEWS.ru, he voiced support for forming a “union state” with Russia modeled after the Russia–Belarus alliance, calling closer integration with Moscow “the salvation of Armenia.”

He also said he intended to run for prime minister in 2026.

In February 2025, he was briefly detained on suspicion of illegal possession of firearms but was later released. His lawyer at the time claimed the charges were politically motivated and connected to upcoming elections.