Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan Suspected of Misappropriating Large Sums

Former Armenian Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan has been involved as a suspect in a criminal case investigated by the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Armenia. He is accused of committing a crime under part 1 of paragraph 3 of Article 179 of the RA Criminal Code for misappropriating property valued at 1,046,400,000 AMD.

According to factual data obtained during the investigation, a secret decision draft of the government was developed by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia in 2010, where, without adhering to various legal requirements, notably without mandatory property valuation, permission was proposed to allow the Ministry of Defense to implement the management powers of the package of shares belonging to the state-owned "Dzora HPP" LLC, approving the sale of the company’s property to “Dzoraget Hydro” LLC for 3,600,000,000 AMD.

Subsequently, on December 16, 2010, a secret letter concerning the delivery of the government decision draft was prepared in the name of Seyran Ohanyan and was sent to the office of the government on the same day at his instruction. The draft decision was discussed in a secret procedure at a government meeting and based on the decision adopted on 16.12.2010, a sale contract was signed whereby the state-owned property, subject to mandatory valuation, with a market value of 4,646,400,000 AMD, was sold to "Dzora HPP" LLC without determining its market value through proper assessment, for an amount less than its real value by 1,046,400,000 AMD.

A preventive measure of not leaving the country has been chosen for Seyran Ohanyan. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case is ongoing. Measures are being taken to identify the entire range of individuals involved in the commission of the crime.

Note: A person suspected or charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedures established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code and a legally enforced court decision.