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The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, under presiding judge Marine Melkonyan, on Monday rejected a motion to release Manvel Grigoryan, a retired army general and a former Republican lawmaker facing criminal charges.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, his attorney Arsen Mkrtchyan said this time the court has made a lawful decision, calling it the first ‘justified interim judicial act’ since criminal persecution launched against Grigoryan.

“The case has already been forwarded to another court, and in this case if the court granted the motion, it would act beyond the scope of its powers. Even its approval would amount to a violation of law in this case,” he explained.

On 19 June 2018, a Yerevan court ruled to arrest Grigoryan, who had earlier been stripped of his parliamentary immunity.

The ex-MP was freed from pre-trial arrest on 21 December on 25 million drams bail – a ruling appealed by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

On 22 January the Yerevan Court of Appeals ruled to re-arrest Grigoryan.

He is charged with embezzlement of army supplies and illegal procurement and possession of firearms and ammunition in large quantities in a prior agreement with his wife, son and several other individuals.