MCC rejects complaint of Airapetyan's defence against arrest extension

The Moscow City Court (MCC) has left Levon Airapetyan, an entrepreneur and a notable member of the Armenian Diaspora in Russia, accused within the "Bashneft" case, under home arrest.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the 65-year-old Levon Airapetyan was detained on July 15, 2014, and arrested on July 17. On October 3, 2014, Airapetyan was placed under home arrest. On December 10, 2014, his home arrest was extended until April 19, 2015; and the court session was held without the defendant, since Airapetyan was hospitalized with the diagnosis of "bladder cancer". The defence filed a complaint against the arrest extension.

According to investigators, the businessman was involved in the sale, in April 2009, of the state-owned stock in the "Bashneft" Company. Airapetyan is accused of embezzlement and laundering of the money obtained from criminal activity, as well as of a theft of 700,000 US dollars. He refuses to plead guilty.

"My client is ready to cooperate with investigators, if they soften the freedom restraint by replacing it by the recognizance not to leave or the obligation to appear," the "Gazeta.ru" quotes the advocate's statement.

However, the judge rejected the advocate's appeal, which asked to release Airapetyan because of his poor health condition, the RAPSI reports.

Let us remind you that on December 9, 2014, Airapetyan was operated on; and after the surgery was under inpatient treatment for a long time. On December 23, he was again hospitalized due to health problems.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.