YEREVAN. – In line with the preliminary investigation of a criminal case which the Special Investigation Service had filed on September 11, 2015 into an official taking a large bribe, it was substantiated that National Assembly (NA) deputy Aram Harutyunyan, in his capacity as Minister of Nature Protection in 2008, had requested from a person and received—through mediation—a $14mn bribe in order to issue special licenses for the study and operation of ten non-ferrous metal ores in Syunik, Gegharkunik, Lori, and Kotayk Provinces, the Prosecutor General’s Office informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.
Subsequently, Aram Harutyunyan committed money laundering by way of making remittances to bank accounts that were opened in other people’s names in another country.
Under this criminal case, criminal charges have been brought against two people, and on the count of aiding an official in taking a large bribe.
Two mere people have been included in this criminal case as an accused for committing this crime. An order for their arrest has been issued, and a search for them has been declared.
Also, information has been obtained that a house, apartments, a building, a restaurant complex, and a public building in capital city Yerevan, as well as more than a dozen agricultural land plots in Getamej community of Kotayk Province belong to Aram Harutyunyan. He had declared over $1.5 million.
As per the Prosecutor General’s Office, the evidence obtained in the criminal case investigation gives sufficient grounds for including MP Aram Harutyunyan in this case as an accused, and bringing charges against him for taking a large bribe and money laundering.
Several individuals who are involved in committing this crime are either Harutyunyan’s close circles or are people working at state-run organizations and private companies headed by him. This fact makes it possible to believe that he may exert unlawful influence on the persons involved in the respective judicial proceedings.
Based on the above-said, Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan has submitted a petition to the NA—in the person of the NA speaker—to give its consent for launching a criminal prosecution against NA deputy Aram Harutyunyan, and for remanding him in custody.
