Armenia Releases Volunteer Commander Ashot Minasian on Bail

Megran Bogosyan, attorney for volunteer unit commander Ashot Minasian, confirmed that his client has been released. This development follows a ruling by the Court of Appeals yesterday granting Minasian bail.

Legal History and Convictions

Minasian received a two-year prison sentence in 2025 for possession of unlicensed weapons. The judiciary denied his request for conditional release on July 30.

The defendant is recognized as a legendary figure who led a squad during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Prior Assassination Plot Charges

In 2020, authorities charged Minasian with planning the assassination of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He was detained alongside former National Security Service director Artur Vanetsyan, former Republican Party MP Vahram Bagdasaryan, and Dashnaktsutyun party member Ashot Avakian.

All four individuals were subsequently released due to insufficient evidence.