(Read full article on arka.am)

Armenia’s ex-defense minister Davit Tonoyan, accused of embezzlement, will remain in custody pending trial.

On Monday, a first instance court in Yerevan rejected a petition by defense lawyers requesting that Tonoyan and other defendants in the case – former advisor to Defense Minister, head of Mosston Engineering David Galstyan (well-known as Davo Patron), former head of military aviation Avetik Muradyan and former deputy chief of General Staff Stepan Galstyan be released from custody.

A lawyer for Davit Tonoyan Sergey Hovhannisyan told journalists that only Artem Hambaryan (former head of aircraft maintenance service) will be released on a 5 million dram bail (about $10 thousand).

Earlier, Hanrapetutyun Party leader Aram Sargsyan and lawmakers from the pro-governmental Civil Contract parliamentary faction Kristine Poghosyan and Vilen Gabrielyan had applied for Davit Tonoyan’s release under their personal guarantees.