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Criminal case opened against Prosperous Armenia party leader

The Prosecutor General’s Office accuses Gagik Tsarukyan of tax evasion

YEREVAN, June 9. /TASS/. A criminal case has ben opened against Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia party, the press service of the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office told TASS.

"The prosecutor initiated a criminal case against G.Ts. under point 2, part 3, Article 290 of the Criminal Code," it said.

It is a general practice with Armenian law enforcement agencies to refer to the individuals involved only by their initials. However, the Armenian media, including opposition outlets, suggest that G.Ts. stands for Tsarukyan.

The Prosecutor General’s Office accuses Tsarukyan of tax evasion. The charge carries a punishment of from four to eight years in prison and stripping of the right to take certain office or engage in certain activities for three years.

Meanwhile, Tsarukyan’s party has refuted allegations that he tries to flee Armenia via Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport.

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