The court extended the detention terms for Tevanyan and Manukyan.

Preliminary hearings have begun in Yerevan for the case of the leader of the "Mother Armenia" party, Andranik Tevanyan, and board member Arekhnaz Manukyan. Both politicians remain in custody.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on May 22, SNB officers conducted searches at the office of the "Mother Armenia" party and in the apartment of its leader Andranik Tevanyan, who was the second candidate on the list of the "Prosperous Armenia" party during the parliamentary elections. Tevanyan was arrested on charges of treason and espionage. In July, Tevanyan's associates stated that his condition in the pre-trial detention center had sharply deteriorated. In mid-July, a candidate for deputy from the "Prosperous Armenia" party and board member of the "Mother Armenia" party, Arekhnaz Manukyan, was also arrested for two months in connection with the case against Tevanyan, accused of disclosing state secrets. On August 21, the Court of Appeals mitigated the conditions of Manukyan's detention, allowing her to communicate with close relatives.

The Yerevan City Court of First Instance held its first session today as part of the preliminary hearings for the case of Andranik Tevanyan and Arekhnaz Manukyan. The session specifically addressed the issue of preventive measures for both defendants, Yerevan Today reports.

The court ruled to extend the detention terms for both - for Tevanyan by three months and for Manukyan by one month. Tevanyan's lawyer, Aram Orbelian, described his detention as "absurd," reported the news agency "News Armenia."

Part of the session was held behind closed doors, as the case materials contain information that constitutes state secrets. Lawyer Orbelian reported that after the preliminary investigation was completed, episodes regarding Tevanyan's alleged recruitment by foreign intelligence services and the transfer of secret information to a representative of a foreign intelligence service for $622,000 were excluded from the charges, writes Armenia Today.

A rally in support of Tevanyan and Manukyan took place outside the courthouse. Participants called the case politically motivated, demanded the release of the accused, and the cessation of their criminal prosecution, the publication notes.

"Caucasian Knot" reported that on May 20, during the election campaign, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the SNB would send materials to the Investigative Committee for the criminal prosecution of Andranik Tevanyan for treason, and the next day the Investigative Committee opened a case against Tevanyan. As a result of the elections, the "Prosperous Armenia" party, which nominated Tevanyan and Manukyan, failed to overcome the four percent barrier and enter parliament.