Gagik Tsarukyan's "Multi Wellness" Sues State Cadastre Over Property Seizure in Yerevan

A company belonging to currently detained businessman and opposition figure Gagik Tsarukyan is challenging the actions of Armenian state authorities in the Administrative Court. Judge Hermine Muradyan recently accepted the lawsuit, finding no legal grounds to dismiss the case.

The Substance of the Lawsuit and the Court's Demand

"Multi Wellness" is demanding the invalidation of a state registration by the Cadastre Committee, which officially terminated the company's property rights at 11 Alek Manukyan Street in Yerevan. Through this disputed decision, the property was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Yerevan Municipality. Judge Muradyan has ordered the Cadastre Committee to submit the complete cadastral case files to the court within two weeks of receiving the judicial order.

Municipality's Actions and the Property's Current Status

The Yerevan Municipality had previously announced the cancellation of the lease agreement, taking the sports complex under its direct control. Effectively, city authorities reclaimed not just the community-owned land, but also the physical building and the equipment inside it.

• The lease agreement was terminated unilaterally by the city.
• Both the building and its assets were transferred to the community.
• The gym has since been renamed and currently operates as the Yerevan Wellness Center.

The Context of Criminal Prosecutions

These legal disputes are unfolding alongside the ongoing criminal prosecution of Tsarukyan, who leads the "Prosperous Armenia" party. Notably, his political party narrowly missed securing seats in the National Assembly during the last elections, falling short by just a few dozen votes. Concurrently, law enforcement agencies have sealed other major businesses belonging to the Tsarukyan family as part of broader investigations.