Ghukasian was arrested on corruption charges a month ago three weeks after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian pledged to oust him from “the political and public arena.” The arrest sparked angry protests in and outside Gyumri’s municipal administration building. Over 40 Ghukasian supporters were charged in the following days with participating in “mass disturbances.” Twenty-three of them remain under arrest.
Later in October, law-enforcement authorities brought more criminal charges against Ghukasian stemming from his recent calls for Armenia to form a “union” with Russia while preserving its “independent statehood.” Pashinian decried that “statement against the sovereignty of Armenia.”
The outspoken mayor as well as his son Spartak were also charged with hooliganism last week after they made offensive comments about their accusers during their ongoing trial that began years ago. Ghukasian Jr. was also arrested and remanded in custody.
Vartan Ghukasian, who strongly denies all the charges, ruled out any deals with Pashinian’s administration or prosecutors during the latest court hearing on the case.
“My blood does not allow for such a lifestyle,” he told journalists. “If you look at the biographies of myself, my father and my forefathers, you will see ‘a clean, right and patriotic guy written there. I am the same and I will stay that way.”
Ghukasian, his son and brother have been standing trial on charges stemming from his previous, 1999-2012 tenure as mayor of Armenia’s second largest city. He is accused of abusing his powers and committing fraud when privatizing municipal land.
Gyumri’s new municipal council appointed Ghukasian as mayor in April this year after four opposition groups collectively defeated Pashinian’s party in a local election. The 64-year-old has denounced Pashinian’s foreign policy as pro-Turkish and said Armenia must not only repair but also deepen its relations with Russia.
Armenian opposition leaders say the crackdown on Ghukasian is part of Pashinian’s intensifying efforts to stifle dissent ahead of next year’s general elections. Dozens of other critics of the Armenian government, including another opposition mayor, three archbishops and a billionaire businessman, have also been arrested in recent months.