On July 4, 2025, Anna Vardapetyan, Prosecutor General, submitted a written motion with the request to give consent to the initiation of public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan (father’s name: Garegin), Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in the order provided for by the constitutional law “On the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly”.

 The Prosecutor General particularly mentioned:

Let me briefly present the written motion with the request to give consent to the initiation of the public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan (father’s name: Garegin), Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia during the term provided for by the constitutional law “On the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly”.

In the scope of the preliminary investigation of criminal case № 90101617 initiated in 2017 at the General Military Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee, factual data was obtained that “the state owned land plot with the surface of 10526 m² located at 1^st street 71, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region, included in the territory of ““Sevan” National Park” SNCO was unlawfully appropriated and during 2010-2015, without the right to conduct site development, an authorized private house was built on the mentioned land plot by the person having obligation to submit a declaration. On December 12, 2016, as a result of the competition held by the interdepartmental competition committee, resident of Yerevan city Beniamin Ghalechyan (father’s name: Suren) was recognized as the sole winner. The mentioned land plot was provided to the latter with the right to lease and site development, for the term of 25 years and with the obligation to build a recreation area in the scope of the investment project worth AMD 250.000.000.

During the preliminary investigation factual data was obtained also that since 2010 the state owned land plot with the surface of 10526 m² located at 1^st street 71, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region, included in the territory of ““Sevan” National Park” SNCO as well as the unauthorized private house built on the mentioned land plot has actually been possessed by a person having obligation to submit a declaration.

In the scope of this proceeding №90152923 criminal proceeding was initiated on May 25, 2023 and the continuation of the preliminary investigation was assigned to the Investigative Department of the NSS.

On June 5, 2024, the continuation of the preliminary investigation was assigned to the Investigative Committee, which was conditioned by the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Criminal proceeding № 58201825 was initiated on June 29, 2025, the continuation of the preliminary investigation whereof was assigned to the Investigative Committee.

On February 12, 2025, criminal proceeding №58201825 was merged with criminal proceeding № 90152923 continuing preliminary investigation under №90152923.

Criminal proceeding №58207825 was initiated on March 20, 2025, the continuation of the preliminary investigation whereof was assigned to the Investigative Committee.

On March 24, 2025 criminal proceeding №58207825 was merged with criminal proceeding № 90152923 continuing preliminary investigation under №90152923.

On June 9, 2025, the prosecutor exercising supervision over the legality of the preliminary investigation of criminal proceeding №90152923 submitted a proposal in the order provided for by point 14 of part 1 of article 38 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia regarding the submission of a motion to the competent authority for consent to initiate a criminal prosecution against a person enjoying immunity from criminal prosecution.

Pursuant to the proposal submitted by the supervising prosecutor, sufficient data was obtained under the investigation, which provided ground for initiation of a public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan, Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the RA National Assembly under part 2 of article 308 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003 (corresponds to point 5 of part 2 of article 441 of the Criminal Code, which entered into force on July 1, 2022), for the fact that the latter, holding the position of the Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Armenia from September 27, 2016 until May 12, 2018, inter alia.

-  being responsible for ensuring supervision over the implementation of tasks and functions of the Ministry, including prevention and reduction of harmful impacts on the specially protected area of nature as well as fulfillment of requirements of environmental law;

-Pursuant to decision № 927-N of the Government dated May 30, 2002, ex officio, being deputy chairman of the ““Sevan” National Park” SNCO, entrusted to the management of the Ministry of Environment;

- Pursuant to decision №1578-N of the Government dated December 18, 2008, ex officio, being the chairman of the interdepartmental competition committee created for the provision of the land plots constituting a specially protected area of the nature under the right to lease and (or) site development and being authorized to convene meetings of the committee, preside over them, sign the decisions of the committee on behalf of the committee and the protocols of the meeting, constantly performing organizational, administrative, and administrative-economic functions in state bodies,

Out of group interests failed to fulfill his official duties and used his official position against the interest of his office, thus essential damage was caused to the legitimate interests of the state and public and negligently resulted in the serious consequences. In particular, normal functioning of the state authority, state non-commercial organization and the mentioned competition committee was violated, the specially protected area was not used as per its intended purpose for a long time, a particularly grave crime was committed—due to the action of a high-ranking official, a particularly large amount of property having criminal origin was legalized.

Thus:

Artsvik Minasyan

-was informed that Seyran Ohanyan, holding the position of the Minister of Defense during 2010-2015 unlawfully appropriated and occupied without legal grounds the state owned land plot with the surface of 10526 m², located at 1^st Street 71, Drakhtik community, Gegharkunik region, included in the territory of ““Sevan” National Park” SNCO and constituting a specially protected natural area;

-was informed that Seyran Ohanyan built an unauthorized building on the mentioned territory without having the right to site development;

 -was informed that the mentioned offences were not recorded by the competent authorities, including by his subordinate officials for a long time and they failed to move forward those offences in the procedure envisaged by the RA legislation.

Possessing information on the abovementioned facts, failed to fulfill his official duties out of group interests, failed to undertake measures to eliminate the consequences of the abovementioned offences as well as to apply liability measures against the relevant persons.

On the contrary, to conceal the fact of unlawful appropriation of the abovementioned territory by Seyran Ohanyan, construction of an unauthorized building thereon and the inaction of competent officials as well as to legalize the possession and use of the immovable property, took measures to grant the right to site development in the name of a person affiliated with Seyran Ohanyan.

Artsvik Minasyan, failed to fulfill his official duties and used his official position against the interest of his office, thus abused his official powers, as a result whereof essential damage was caused to the public, legitimate interests of the state and resulted in the serious consequences for the state (negligently).  

Moreover, by using false documents stating that the mentioned land plot was not burdened with buildings they concealed both the illegal actions committed by the high-ranking official holding a political position—Seyran Ohanyan, and the illegal behavior of the competent officials who showed inaction towards them. The specially protected area of nature was not used for its intended purpose for a long time. A particularly serious crime was committed. In order to distort the true nature and source of the property, and not to reveal the participation of the high-ranking official holding a political position in illegal transactions, and to conceal the real rights and ownership of the property, a third-party right indicated by Seyran Ohanyan was formalized over the property of illicit origin, ensuring the further unhindered possession and use of the mentioned immovable property.

Id est, Artsvik Minasyan is charged with the commission of a criminal act provided for by part 2 of article 308 of the RA Criminal Code (corresponds to point 5 of part 2 of article 441 of the RA Criminal Code, which has entered into force on July 1, 2022).

 Thus assessing the evidence collected in the scope of the criminal proceeding from the point of view of relevancy, permissibility and reliability and all of them in their combination from the point of view of sufficiency, it must be recorded that there are sufficient facts to initiate a public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan, Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia under part 2 of article 308 of the RA Criminal Code (corresponds to point 5 of part 2 of article 441 of the RA Criminal Code, entered into force on July 1, 2022), thus taking into consideration the proposal of the supervising prosecutor to apply to the RA National Assembly for the consent to initiate a public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan, Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the RA National Assembly and guided by Article 96 of the RA Constitution, Article 108 of the constitutional law “On the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly” and point 9 of part 1 of article 37 of the RA Criminal Procedure Code I hereby submit a 

MOTION

To give consent on initiating a public criminal prosecution against Artsvik Minasyan (father’s name: Garegin), Deputy of the 8^th convocation of the RA National Assembly.