On May 27, 2026, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan revoked the September 20, 1999 decisions on termination of the criminal prosecution against Arsen Khachatryan and Armen Khachatryan, security guards of Arzrun Margaryan, former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and National Security of the Republic of Armenia, on cancelation of the measures of restraint imposed thereon and on discontinuation of the criminal case concerning the murder of Arzrun Margaryan.

The decisions were revoked on the basis of newly discovered circumstances identified as a result of proceedings conducted by the Investigative Committee.

It should be recalled that during the preliminary investigation in 1999, Arsen and Armen Khachatryan were charged with the murder of Arzrun Margaryan. Subsequently, however, the investigating authority concluded that they had committed no crime and that, according to the version advanced by the original investigation, Arzrun Margaryan had committed suicide after allegedly attempting to kill his security guards. On that basis, the criminal prosecution against them was terminated and the criminal case concerning the homicide was closed.

Within the framework of new criminal proceedings initiated in 2025, the case files were re-examined, additional investigative measures were carried out and a forensic medical panel examination was ordered.

According to the new forensic medical expert opinion received on March 31, 2026, the severe gunshot wound sustained by Arzrun Margaryan in the chest area would have drastically limited his mobility, and shortly thereafter he would have been practically incapable of performing any purposeful and coordinated actions. The expert conclusion further stated that, given such an injury, it would have been practically improbable for Arzrun Margaryan to have independently pointed a firearm at his head and discharged a fatal shot.

Taking into account that the examination of the newly discovered circumstances yielded information indicating that Arzrun Margaryan could not have performed the actions necessary to commit suicide after sustaining the gunshot wound to the chest, Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan revoked the relevant decisions of September 20, 1999.

The preliminary investigation in the criminal proceedings is ongoing.