An Armenian anti-corruption court has rejected a defence request to lift the arrest of Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, meaning he will remain in pre-trial detention, his lawyer said.

Attorney Aramayis Hayrapetyan confirmed that the defence had asked the court to replace detention with house arrest, The Caspian Post reports, citing Armenian media.

He said the request was based on procedural considerations rather than health concerns.

“Based on the above, we requested that the preventive measure be changed from arrest to house arrest; however, the court today made a different decision [maintaining the arrest],” Hayrapetyan said.

He added that the defence will decide whether to appeal once it reviews the court’s written reasoning. The issue of changing the preventive measure is expected to be reconsidered in May.

On March 4, Judge Levon Petrosyan of the Anti-Corruption Court extended Ghukasyan’s detention for an additional two months, marking the second such extension.