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The former chief of Armenia’s Compulsory Enforcement Service, ex-MP Mihran Poghosyan prosecuted on corruption charges in Armenia, exercised his right to seek political asylum in Russia before being detained by the country’s authorities, Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan told reporters on Monday.

“It is Russia’s sovereign right to grant or reject him an asylum,” he said. The minister added Poghosyan’s move is viewed by some as a tactic to delay his extradition to Armenia. He restated every person has a right to ask for political asylum, but it is a matter of subjective assessment whether the move is patriotic or ethical.

As reported earlier, the ex-official was detained in the Russian Republic of Karelia. A Yerevan court on Monday allowed the SIS to arrest Poghosyan after he was charged with abusing his powers to enrich himself and companies linked to him.

Speaking about the criminal case involving Davit Sanasaryan, the head of the State Oversight Service currently suspended from office amid corruption charges, the justice minister says he is conducting self-defense.

“It’s for him to decide how to conduct it,” Zeynalyan said, refraining from making any political comments on the case.