Abuses at the State Inspection of Environment: Details

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has uncovered abuses committed by officials of the State Inspection of Environmental Protection under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, including illegal logging with the knowledge and permission of forest guards and instances of bribery.

Charges have been filed against ten individuals.

According to preliminary investigation data, certain officials from the State Environmental Inspection were part of inspection groups operating in various forestry enterprises under the non-commercial organization 'Hayantar' during 2016-2017. They failed to properly fulfill their duties, even destroying official documents, such as assessment lists, prepared during inspections. Furthermore, they entered blatantly false information into the official inspection acts, minimizing the number of illegally cut trees and the damage caused, and in some cases, failed to record the illegal cut trees at all.

Additionally, substantial evidence has been collected indicating that significant bribes were received from forest managers during inspections in the branches of 'Arzvaberd Forestry' and 'Syunik Forestry'. Four such instances have been uncovered.

The investigation also revealed several instances of citizens bribing various forest managers.

As a result of extensive investigative actions, the identities of ten individuals connected to these apparent criminal manifestations have been established, and their actions have been individualized.

Based on the gathered evidence, the former deputy head of the State Inspection of Environmental Protection has been charged under Article 311 (parts 2 and 3), Article 324 (part 2), and Article 314 (part 1) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. He has been detained as a preventive measure, and a search has been announced for him. The former deputy head of the Department of Forest Control and Biodiversity of the same inspection has been charged under Articles 308 (parts 1 and 2), 324 (part 2, 2 incidents), 314 (part 1, 3 incidents), 311 (part 3, 2 and 3 points, 3 incidents), and Article 38-311 (part 3, 2 and 3 points). Additionally, five former inspectors from the same department have been charged under Article 314 (part 1). One citizen has been charged for illegal logging and bribery under Article 296 (part 2, point 3) and Article 312 (part 1, 6 incidents). Two other citizens have been charged for bribery under Article 312 (part 1), one with 7 incidents and the other with two.

The case for the former deputy head of the department and three citizens has been separated and sent to court with an accusatory conclusion.

Criminal prosecution against five former employees of the Department of Forest Control and Biodiversity has been terminated in accordance with the provisions of the RA Law on 'Amnesty in connection with the 2800th anniversary of Yerevan's foundation and the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the First Republic of Armenia.'

Active investigative and operational-search activities continue in the criminal case under preliminary investigation to locate the former deputy head of the State Environmental Inspection, who is wanted, and to identify the entire circle of individuals possibly connected with illegal logging and corrupt practices, individualizing their actions and providing appropriate legal assessment.

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia