Armenian General Prosecutor's Office reported that France refused to extradite the former governor of Syunik Suren (Surik) Khachatryan to Armenia.
"On October 28, 2022, the Armenian Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, received a letter on October 28, 2022, stating that according to the decision made on June 29 of the same year, the judicial authorities gave a negative opinion to the interested person, i.e., Khachatryan, regarding the application for extradition," the Prosecutor's Office said.
The decision was based on the European Convention on Extradition, according to which Khachatryan's extradition may have severe consequences for him.
Suren Khachatryan has been wanted since November 19, 2019. The former governor of Syunik is charged with abuse of office, complicity in official fraud, and complicity in embezzlement or embezzlement. Detention was chosen as a preventive measure against him, and a search was announced. During the preliminary investigation, information was received that Suren Khachatryan was found in France, based on which the prosecutor's office filed a motion to extradite him.
