Extradition of ex-lawmaker Mihran Poghosyan to be denied if Russia provides political asylum: Attorney General

The extradition of former lawmaker Mihran Poghosyan is in process, Attorney general Artur Davtyan told the reporters today.

“During the process of extradition a person may apply to a country for getting asylum. According to international regulations, this process is secret. The applied state must not provide information about it. We are having such cases too when a person asks for asylum we must maintain the set procedures,” Davtyan said, adding that according to international conventions, Russia is not obliged to inform Armenia that an Armenian citizen has asked it for asylum.

He said if Russia provides asylum to Mihran Poghosyan, his extradition will be denied. The attorney general did not reject such possibility. He also noted that it is not a shame to request political asylum, and it is a right of each person.

As to whether it is not a shame for a general to ask political asylum from other country, Davtyan said, “As a citizen I can say that it is inadmissible for me.”