Judge leaves Chakhoyan arrest unchanged

PanARMENIAN.Net - The pretrial detention imposed on Vahagn Chakhoyan in the Sacred Struggle case has not been changed. The Yerevan Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, chaired by Karen Farkhoyan, decided not to consider the motion seeking modification of the preventive measure until new circumstances emerge.

According to the defense, Chakhoyan’s family lives in the village of Kasakh, while his two minor children attend schools in Yerevan, creating significant difficulties for the family following his imprisonment, Sputnik Armenia reports.

It was noted that his eldest son is a university student with annual tuition fees of 950,000 drams, while his daughter studies at a private school with yearly tuition of 850,000 drams. In addition, the family has a mortgage loan and other financial obligations that have become problematic to meet. The defense said the entire financial burden of the household had been borne by Vahagn Chakhoyan. It was also emphasized that of the 18 individuals involved in the Sacred Struggle case, only Archbishop Bagrat and Vahagn Chakhoyan currently remain in custody.

The court stated that the circumstances presented had already been examined previously and concluded that no alternative preventive measure could ensure the defendant’s proper conduct.

Vahagn Chakhoyan, head of the “Kamk” initiative and an activist, has been under arrest since July 5, 2025. Armenia’s Investigative Committee has reported that participants and leaders of the Sacred Struggle movement had planned to carry out terrorist acts and actions aimed at seizing power.