Former president Serzh Sargsyan 16 April testified in closed hearing at parliamentary commission investigating April 2016 deadly escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh (NK); commission, proposed by PM Pashinyan in May 2019 and subsequently established by National Assembly, had previously called on former and current senior and mid-level officials and military representatives from Armenia and de facto NK.

In response to COVID-19 outbreak, govt 16 March declared state of emergency, closed borders to all foreign citizens and prevented Armenian citizens from leaving. Govt same day also postponed indefinitely referendum on constitutional changes due 5 April that could lead to dismissal of seven of nine Constitutional Court judges seen by PM Pashinyan to be maintaining ties to former leadership.

Yerevan city court 25 Feb started investigation into case of former President Sargsyan accused of involvement in embezzlement of over $1mn of govt funds allocated in 2013 to subsidise diesel fuel for farmers in rural regions. Sargsyan dismissed corruption charges as politically motivated.

Former head of National Security Service Georgi Kutoyan 17 Jan found dead in apartment, second senior security official of former leadership found dead with gunshot wound to head in recent months; local authorities suspect suicide. 

Special Investigative Services 4 Dec announced it had charged former President and PM Serzh Sargsyan with embezzlement of public money from state assistance program for farmers in 2013; Sargsyan’s Republican Party of Armenia condemned indictment as political persecution aimed at silencing opposition. Prosecutors 27 Dec charged Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian with two counts of abuse of power during his time as justice minister in 2010-14, Tovmasian said charges were part of “political process” trying to force his resignation. U.S. Senate 12 Dec passed resolution formally recognising mass killings of more than one million Armenians in Ottoman empire as genocide. Defence Ministry 27 Dec displayed new Su-30 fighter jets and anti-aircraft missile systems purchased from Russia.

During visit by Russian FM Lavrov to Yevevan 10-11 Nov, the two countries’ FMs announced planned memorandum providing Russian specialists unrestricted access to biological laboratories in Armenia that were set up with U.S. assistance. Former President Sargsyan appeared in public for first time since 2018 21 Nov, and criticised current leadership and lack of reforms.

Armenia’s year-long chairmanship of Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union ended with summit in Yerevan early Oct where member states, plus observers Iran and Singapore, finalised treaties on closer economic cooperation. PM Pashinyan welcomed resolution passed in U.S. House of Representatives 30 Oct recognising mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Empire in early twentieth century as genocide.

Investigative Committee 26 Sept brought charges against former defence minister Vigen Sargsyan and former police chief Alik Sargsyan for abuse of power. Yerevan court 20 Sept denied bail to former President Kocharyan, who was arrested for third time in June for ordering violent crackdown against opposition protesters after 2008 election. Former police chief and witness in case against Kocharyan, Hayk Harutiunian, found dead 24 Sept, preliminary investigation suggested apparent suicide. PM Pashinyan 16 Sept announced dismissal of National Security Service head and police chief; appointed new chief adviser.

Constitutional Court 18 July said it had requested advice from European Court of Human Rights and Venice Commission of Council of Europe regarding case of former President Robert Kocharyan, who was arrested for third time in June for ordering violent crackdown against opposition protesters after 2008 election. Kocharyan’s team reportedly welcomed decision; hearing set for 29 Aug. European Council President Donald Tusk visited Azerbaijan and Armenia 9-10 July; 10 July met PM Pashinyan, highlighted Armenia’s effective implementation of EU-Armenia partnership agreement that supports Armenian modernisation, and reconfirmed that “EU will continue providing technical and financial assistance for its implementation”.

Court 25 June ordered arrest of Robert Kocharyan, country’s second president, first arrested in July 2018 for overturning constitutional order in 2008 but released in May after state prosecutors appealed for his pre-trial release at constitutional court.