Armenian prosecutor general asks parliament's authorization for prosecution of MP suspected of gross bribe taking
03.12.2018,
12:29
The Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office filed today a motion to the National Assembly asking the lawmakers to strip MP Aram Harutyunyan, who is suspected in gross bribe taking and money laundering, of the immunity from prosecution.
YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. The Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office filed today a motion to the National Assembly asking the lawmakers to strip MP Aram Harutyunyan, who is suspected in gross bribe taking and money laundering, of the immunity from prosecution.
The prosecutor general’s office, having enough evidence, has opened a criminal case against Harutyunyan, who is suspected receiving a bribe amounting to USD 14 million.
According to the office’s press release, Aram Harutyunyan, who was environment minister and head of a commission providing special licenses in 2008 for exploration of ore fields, demanded from S.O. and received through a mediator the bribe for issuing a license for exploring ten areas of nonferrous metals in Syunik, Gegharkunik, Lori and Kotayk provinces.
S.O. withdrew 6 million of this sum from bank and gave it to Harutyunyan through the mediator, and the remaining 8 million was sent to the bribe taker as banking transfer by using the mediation.
After that, Aram Harutyunyan, in a bid to hide the criminal origin of this money, transferred it abroad to the accounts opened in the name of other persons, legalized the properties obtained illegally, i.e. he laundered the money.
So, Harutyunyan will be prosecuted on one count of gross bribery and one count of money laundering.
Two other persons involved in the same criminal case will be arrested as well. They are wanted.
It has also become known from the investigation that a mansion, apartments, a seven-floor building near the Republic Square in Yerevan, a restaurant complex, and a construction of a public significance that costs AMD 427 million as well as more than ten farm land areas in Kotayk province are owned by Harutyunyan, while only $1.5 million had been declared by him.
The nature of these crimes, its scale and involvement of many persons in it show their high public danger and give grounds for thinking that Harutyunyan, staying at large, can take certain steps to put pressure on other persons involved in the crimes and hide and falsify pieces of evidence.
It is also highly probable that he may flee before trial.
Taking into account the mentioned circumstances, Armenian Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan insists on the suspect’s pretrial detention. -0---
The prosecutor general’s office, having enough evidence, has opened a criminal case against Harutyunyan, who is suspected receiving a bribe amounting to USD 14 million.
According to the office’s press release, Aram Harutyunyan, who was environment minister and head of a commission providing special licenses in 2008 for exploration of ore fields, demanded from S.O. and received through a mediator the bribe for issuing a license for exploring ten areas of nonferrous metals in Syunik, Gegharkunik, Lori and Kotayk provinces.
S.O. withdrew 6 million of this sum from bank and gave it to Harutyunyan through the mediator, and the remaining 8 million was sent to the bribe taker as banking transfer by using the mediation.
After that, Aram Harutyunyan, in a bid to hide the criminal origin of this money, transferred it abroad to the accounts opened in the name of other persons, legalized the properties obtained illegally, i.e. he laundered the money.
So, Harutyunyan will be prosecuted on one count of gross bribery and one count of money laundering.
Two other persons involved in the same criminal case will be arrested as well. They are wanted.
It has also become known from the investigation that a mansion, apartments, a seven-floor building near the Republic Square in Yerevan, a restaurant complex, and a construction of a public significance that costs AMD 427 million as well as more than ten farm land areas in Kotayk province are owned by Harutyunyan, while only $1.5 million had been declared by him.
The nature of these crimes, its scale and involvement of many persons in it show their high public danger and give grounds for thinking that Harutyunyan, staying at large, can take certain steps to put pressure on other persons involved in the crimes and hide and falsify pieces of evidence.
It is also highly probable that he may flee before trial.
Taking into account the mentioned circumstances, Armenian Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan insists on the suspect’s pretrial detention. -0---
