Court of Appeals refuses to drop charges against Oskanian
The Court of Appeals has rejected the motion to dismiss charges filed against Vartan Oskanian, Armenia's ex-foreign minister and a lawmaker of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK).
On October 16, Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan motioned the Court to drop the money laundering charges against the former FM.
Vartan Oskanian and his Civilitas Foundation are accused of failing to report US$2 million donations received from the sale of 100% shares of Huntsman Building Products, LLC JSC owned by the U.S.-based Polymer Materials and Huntsman International corporations, and for misusing important portions of the funds donated for charitable purposes. The National Security Service (NSS) launched on May 25 criminal proceedings against Oskanian and his Civilitas Foundation for "money laundering based on Article 190 Para 3.1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia."
On September 2, the Armenian National Assembly upheld Prosecutor General's petition strip Vartan Oskanian from his parliamentary immunity with a 64/6 vote. In October, Oskanian was officially charged with money laundering.
