On 5 August 2026, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Ararat region filed claims with the Anti-Corruption Court against the Masis and Jermuk communities, demanding to invalidate the auction of a 0.57 ha land plot held on 6 August 2007 and the auction of a 750 sq m land plot held on 24 June 2009, and to apply the consequences of invalidity.

 

An examination conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Ararat region as part of the one aimed at protecting state (community) interests revealed a number of violations in the process of acquiring land plots belonging to Kh.A., Deputy Head of the Masis Community, and persons affiliated with him. The total area of the land plots alienated with the violations identified in the course of the examination amounts to 95.5 ha.

 

The examination established that, at various times, persons who held the position of Head of the Masis Community, with the aim of achieving a favourable outcome for Kh.A., Deputy Head of the community, and M.A., Kh.A.’s uncle, who held senior positions at the State Revenue Committee from 2000 to 2018, used their official powers contrary to the interests of the service and alienated a number of properties owned by the community to the persons concerned through sham auctions. Subsequently, Kh.A. committed money laundering with the aim of concealing, disguising and erasing the traces of the alleged criminal origin of the property acquired as a result of the crime.

 

The examination established that, on 8 June 2004, M.G., Chairman of the Board of the public organisation “Union of Yerkrapah Volunteers of Armenia”, acting contrary to the interests of the organisation, transferred a 500 sq m section of a 16,742 sq m land plot located near the Kanaker HPP to M.A., who had held senior positions at the State Revenue Committee.

 

Having identified indications of another alleged offence while exercising oversight over the legality of the criminal proceedings under investigation by the Investigative Committee, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Ararat region submitted a report of an apparent criminal offence to the Anti-Corruption Committee.