Key facts
- Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has been detained by law enforcement.
- Prosecutors allege Kocharyan misused his official position to acquire valuable properties at below-market prices.
- Searches were conducted at the homes of Kocharyan, his son Levon, and several other addresses.
- Kocharyan's other son, Sedrak, and four other individuals were also reportedly detained.
- The detentions follow Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's recent order to seize assets of Kocharyan and former President Serzh Sargsyan.
Armenian law enforcement services detained the country's former president and leader of a pro-Russian opposition alliance, Robert Kocharyan, as part of an anti-corruption investigation, according to reports on August 25, 2026. Kocharyan, who served as president from 1998 to 2008, leads the Armenia Alliance, a Moscow-friendly political force opposing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Anti-Corruption Committee stated that Kocharyan allegedly used his official position to acquire valuable properties that had been removed from state ownership on fictitious grounds and sold significantly below market value. Law enforcement officers conducted searches at the homes of Kocharyan, his son Levon Kocharyan (a lawmaker), and several dozen other addresses. Sedrak Kocharyan, another son, and four other individuals were also reportedly detained. The detentions follow a recent heated debate in parliament and Prime Minister Pashinyan's instruction to seize assets of both Robert Kocharyan and former President Serzh Sargsyan.