Armenian consul in Austria accused of spying for Azerbaijan denies guilt

Ashkhen Aleksanyan, a member of the Armenian Foreign Ministry"s diplomatic corps and consul in Austria, who has been accused of treason in favor of Azerbaijan, denied her guilt.

Report informs via Armenian media that her lawyers, Abgar Poghosyan and Tavros Gevorkyan, declined to comment on the charges but confirmed that they have appealed her arrest to a higher authority.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia confirmed that Aleksanyan is the sole defendant in the case and was in custody at the time the preliminary investigation was concluded. The agency did not disclose details of the case. The Investigative Committee confirmed that a criminal case for treason against Aleksanyan was initiated in June.

She was detained on August 29. Immediately after her arrest, the National Security Service conducted a full search of the Foreign Ministry building, inspecting computers and reviewing documents.