Pro-Russian billionaire denied bail relief in Armenia

An Armenian court has rejected a motion by the defense of arrested billionaire and Russian citizen Samvel Karapetyan to post $1 million bail, the Hraparak newspaper reported, citing the businessman's lawyers.

Along with the bail offer, the lawyers requested a change to house arrest. In denying the request, the court cited "the risk of obstruction of justice, in particular, influencing individuals outside Armenia." Karapetyan's defense team called the court's decision "absurd," arguing that their client "is being held hostage, and alternative measures of restraint are not being considered."

Samvel Karapetyan was arrested on June 18 on charges of publicly calling for a coup d'état. He subsequently announced the creation of the political movement "Our Way," which plans to run for parliament in the 2026 parliamentary elections. At the end of November, the court extended his pretrial detention for another two months.

Karapetyan is known as a Russian stooge. While in pretrial detention, he accused the Armenian authorities of severing ties with Russia and emphasized that Moscow, as Yerevan's main ally, values ​​reliability, predictability, and honesty.

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