A criminal investigation in Armenia in the death of ten people from alcohol poisoning in Armavir, in August 2020, continues.

The investigation has revealed that the ten imbibed homemade alcoholic beverages made by Ashot Hovsepyan, a resident of Armavir.

Hovsepyan has sold his unregistered alcoholic beverages in Armavir, a town of some 37,000, for years.

Anahit Abovyan, the wife of one of the victims, Gagik Sargsyan, told Hetq that her husband partook of Hovsepyan’s beverages prior to his death without any deleterious effects.

Abovyan is frustrated that the investigation has dragged out for so long.

Sevak Khachatryan, an Armavir government investigator says the delay is due to delay in receiving forensic examination results from beverage samples confiscated at Hovsepyan’s house.

An autopsy of one of the victims was also conducted.

Hovsepyan and two other defendants were initially taken into custody and later released on two million drams (US$45,950) bail.

Photo: Gagik Sargsyan