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The Yerevan Criminal Court of Appeals upheld today the ruling of a lower court on refusing to arrest Armenia’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of the Security Council Armen Gevorgyan as a measure of restraint sought by prosecutors.

The court also rejected the appeal of the defense side ‘to affirm absence of probable cause’, Gevorgyan told reporters outside the courtroom.

Asked to comment on the appellate court ruling, the ex-official stressed he is not accustomed to evaluating court decisions.

“Court rulings must be implemented irrespective of anything," he said.

Gevorgyan asked reporters to not addresses any other questions over the case, explaining he 'respects and maintains' the secrecy of the investigation.

Earlier in December a Yerevan first instance court turned down the motion of the Special Investigative Service to put Gevorgyan under pre-trial arrest, with the ruling appealed to the higher court.

Gevorgyan has been charged with assisting in an ‘overthrow of the constitutional order’ as part of the March 1 criminal probe, as well as corruption and money laundering.

He was already charged in August with obstructing justice during the March 1-2, 2008 events that followed the presidential elections.