Police Major Aram Navasardyan, the commander of the traffic police escort unit, has been sentenced in connection with the 2022 fatal crash involving Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade that killed 28-year-old pregnant woman Sona Mnatsakanyan.
The Yerevan First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction handed down a 1 year and 6 month prison sentence and ordered Navasardyan to pay 4 million drams in damages and 834,000 drams for expert examination costs. During the trial, the prosecutor had sought a 2 year and 6 month sentence along with a one-year suspension of his driving license, while the victim’s family had requested a 4-year prison term.
Following the verdict, Mnatsakanyan’s father, Mnatsak Mnatsakanyan, announced he would appeal the ruling: “I will appeal because I am not convinced that 1.6 years in prison will not be replaced by something else during the appeal process,” he told reporters.
The court awarded 4 million drams in compensation, far below the 10 million drams requested, but her father emphasized that no amount of money can compensate for the death of his daughter and unborn grandchild.
The incident occurred on April 26, 2022, at the intersection of Paronyan and Leo Streets in Yerevan, when Navasardyan, driving a Toyota Prado, struck Mnatsakanyan as she was crossing the street. The police vehicle did not stop, and the Prime Minister’s convoy—including Pashinyan’s limousine and six accompanying vehicles—continued without assisting the victim. Mnatsakanyan was later rushed to Nairi Medical Center, where she died from her injuries without regaining consciousness.
On July 30, 2024, Navasardyan was found guilty under Armenia’s 2003 Criminal Code, specifically Article 242 (traffic violation resulting in death) and Article 244 (fleeing the scene of an accident). The case sparked widespread public outrage, fueling criticism of official motorcade protocols and raising concerns about accountability and justice involving state convoys. Prime Minister Pashinyan has previously stated that he bears no responsibility, comparing himself to a “bus passenger” in the convoy.
