France has denied a request by Armenia to extradite former Syunik Provincial Governor Surik Khachatryan who faces numerous criminal charges in his home country.

Surprisingly, while the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs turned down the request in June, the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) claims it only was informed of the decision recently, via the Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

According to the Armenian PGO, France denied the extradition request based on its understanding of the the European Convention on Extradition,

In 2019, Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) launched a criminal case of abuse of power against Khachatryan. He was charged with embezzlement, official forgery and embezzlement. Khachatryan’s whereabouts at the time were unknown and a manhunt for him was issued.

It turns out that he fled to France.

In August 2022, a Yerevan court approved a request filed by Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office to confiscate 19.1 billion AMD (US$ 47.2 million) worth of property and assets of illegal origin from   Khachatryan and five of his associates.

Khachatryan, a controversial figure and member of the Republican Party of Armenia who resigned as Syunik governor in 2013 because of public pressure resulting from a shooting incident near his Goris home, was reappointed governor in September 2014 by then Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.