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Armenia’s former Finance Minister and former Chairman of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatryan on Monday could not attend a court hearing in the criminal case involving him and his nephew Karen Khachatryan.

In an appeal to the court, the former official had asked presiding judge Artur Mkrtchyan to postpone the hearing.

The prosecutor also petitioned the court to postpone the hearing, stating under the Criminal Procedure Code the defendant must be present at it. At the same time, he asked the court to submit an inquiry to the penitentiary service to find out about Khachatryan's current health condition, adding according to the previous medical examination, the ex-minister did not require a surgery or inpatient treatment and could have appeared in court.

One of Gagik Khachatryan's lawyers, Amram Makinyan, reiterated that his client has serious health problems, which emerged during the pre-trial hearings.

The judge said that an inquiry would be sent to the penitentiary to obtain relevant information about Khachatryan's health condition and to find out whether it could prevent him from showing up for court hearings.

The court hearing was postponed until September 30.

Gagik Khachatryan has been remanded in custody since May 2019. He is accused of an alleged abuse of power and misuse of state property while in office from 2008 to 2014.

Khachatryan strongly denies any wrongdoing. His lawyers claim that the court does not have a shred of evidence that would allow it to form reasonable suspicion that the crimes ascribed to Khachatryan have occurred and that Gagik Khachatryan may have any connection with it.

The lawyers have repeatedly pointed to Khachatryan's deteriorating health condition and the threat to his life.