Ashot Minasyan has been sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment for the illegal acquisition, transportation, and possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and explosive devices. The Criminal Court of Appeal has partially granted the appeal of the Prosecutor General’s Office and modified the verdict of the First Instance Court of Syunik Region, dated December 26, 2024, by overturning the decision on not applying the sentence conditionally to Ashot Minasyan.

It should be reminded that public criminal prosecution against Ashot Minasyan was initiated for the act of acquiring, transporting, and—by violating the procedure established by law—storing firearms in a building located next to a restaurant complex on Israelian Street in the city of Sisian, which was under his possession and use, until November 13, 2020.

On December 26, 2024, the Court of First Instance of Syunik Region held a verdict to find Ashot Minasyan guilty under part 1 of Article 235 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003, and to impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of 2 years, to add to the imposed sentence with the period of 1 month and 27 days of Ashot Minasyan's actual imprisonment, to impose a final sentence of imprisonment for a term of 1 year, 10 months, 3 days, and to conditionally not apply the imposed sentence, setting a probationary period of 1 year.

The above-mentioned judicial act was appealed by the Prosecutor General's Office. The Criminal Court of Appeals partially granted the appeal of the Prosecutor General's Office and amended the verdict of the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Region, dated December 26, 2024, revoking the judicial act on the conditional non-application of the sentence imposed on Ashot Minasyan.