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Manvel Grigoryan, a retired Armenian army general and a former Republican lawmaker facing various criminal charges, was ambulanced to a civilian hospital from the Yerevan prison hospital after his health condition sharply deteriorated on Wednesday night.

Speaking to Panorama.am, his attorney Levon Baghdasaryan said Grigoryan is now in a coma in the wake of a sharp increase in his blood sugar levels.

He described the incident as a ‘cruel treatment’ and ‘torture’ against the ex-MP, with all its consequences falling on the authorities.

Grigoryan was transferred from the private Nairi Medical Center to the hospital for convicts against his will on Monday. He was not present at the latest hearing in his and his wife’s trial on Tuesday due to health issues, which made the court adjourn the hearing.

On 19 June 2018, a Yerevan court ruled to arrest Grigoryan, who had earlier been stripped of his parliamentary immunity.

The ex-MP was freed from pre-trial arrest on 21 December on 25 million drams bail – a ruling appealed by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

On 22 January the Yerevan Court of Appeals ruled to re-arrest Grigoryan, who was hospitalized one month later.

The former lawmaker is charged with embezzlement of army supplies and illegal procurement and possession of firearms and ammunition in large quantities in a prior agreement with his wife, son and several other individuals, tax evasion and extortion.