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Akbar Novruz

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Armenian investigators have removed Yerem Sargsyan from representing Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan in an ongoing money laundering and large-scale fraud investigation, citing a conflict of interest after one of the defendants identified the lawyer as a potential witness, AzerNEWS reports.

Sargsyan announced his removal during a press briefing on Wednesday, saying investigators informed him shortly before a scheduled confrontation between Tsarukyan and an Iranian citizen whose testimony forms the basis of the criminal case.

According to Armenia's state-run news agency Armenpress, Tsarukyan spent July 21 and 22 at the Investigative Committee's Main Department for the Investigation of Economic Crimes and Smuggling, where investigators carried out procedural actions as part of the case.

Explaining the decision, Sargsyan said investigators argued that the Iranian witness had testified he was present during several meetings involving Tsarukyan.

"The Iranian citizen testified that I was also present at some of their meetings with Gagik Tsarukyan. [Armenian authorities] concluded that I might have information relevant to the case and could therefore be questioned as a witness," Sargsyan said.

He added that he had already been summoned for questioning as a witness later the same day.

Sargsyan described the decision to remove him from the case as "unlawful", arguing that the real motive was to weaken the defense team's efforts to challenge alleged inconsistencies in the testimony of the purported victim. He said the legal team would appeal the decision.

Tsarukyan was arrested earlier this month on charges of large-scale fraud and money laundering related to activities allegedly carried out between 2022 and 2024.

Following the arrest, Sargsyan maintained that Tsarukyan should have been recognized as a victim rather than a suspect in the case and argued that the prosecution was politically motivated.