Las Vegas judge reviews Vardan Ghukasyan’s case

PanARMENIAN.Net - Las Vegas court has reviewed the case of Vardan Ghukasyan, leader of the DOC party, who has been in custody for nearly a month. The judge has entered deliberations to determine whether Ghukasyan will be released or remain detained.

“The presiding judge must decide whether Vardan Ghukasyan will be released or remain in custody until a final court ruling,” said his lawyer, Levon Baghdasaryan, as reported by RFE/RL.

According to the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service, Ghukasyan was arrested on February 20 in relation to immigration procedures. American authorities state that he entered the U.S. on February 19, 2022, but failed to leave within the required timeframe.

Beyond immigration violations, the court is also reviewing an extradition request filed by Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office in 2023. These matters will proceed after the court rules on whether Ghukasyan will remain detained.

Ghukasyan's legal team, consisting of U.S. attorneys, presented their arguments concerning the criminal case against him in Armenia and the Armenian government's extradition request.

Baghdasaryan detailed the hearing, stating that the defense challenged the legality of the charges in Armenia. He emphasized that Ghukasyan is facing "political persecution" and that extradition could pose a serious risk to his life.

“In such cases, the court must assess the situation, as Ghukasyan has repeatedly exposed corruption schemes and alleged crimes by former and current officials. This makes his extradition extremely risky,” Baghdasaryan argued.

However, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan recently refuted these claims, assuring that no one’s life is at risk in Armenia, even if they criticize the authorities.

The judge has not specified when the decision will be announced, but Baghdasaryan noted that under U.S. law, if no timeline is set, the ruling is typically issued within one to two days.

The lawyer also expressed confidence in Ghukasyan’s release, citing the strength of the defense’s arguments and the judge’s response.

“I believe all conditions are in place for Vardan Ghukasyan to regain his freedom as soon as possible,” he stated.

Although the Las Vegas court has not yet announced its ruling, one of Ghukasyan’s Telegram channels has already reported "positive results from the hearing."

The DOC party leader is accused of fraud, extortion, threats, and public incitement of violence but denies all charges.