Scandalous Details: Charges Filed Against NSS Official

Charges have been filed against A. M., a former advisor on security to the Minister of Health and head of a relevant subdivision of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia, based on a sufficient combination of evidence obtained during the investigation of a criminal case at the Special Investigative Service of the Republic of Armenia.

According to the charges, A. M., who held the position of advisor to the Minister of Health on security matters from 2005 to 2018, established close ties with the director of a medical center, A. M. After learning that the director had complaints about the performance of his financial deputy, S. O., A. M. offered his services to remove S. O. from his position.

In February 2019, A. M. informed the director of the medical center that the Ministry of Health intended to reduce the allocations provided for state-ordered services to the hospital, and that the said medical center had been deprived of the opportunity to provide medical services on a co-payment basis. To resolve these issues, it was necessary to organize a bribe from S. O. to the Deputy Minister of Health, Arsen Davtyan. A. M. assured that in this case, criminal proceedings would be initiated against S. O. and Arsen Davtyan, which would ultimately allow the director of the medical center to acquire shares in the hospital equivalent to S. O.'s portion, which would be equally divided between him and A. M.

As a result, according to the arrangements reached, the director of the medical center summoned S. O. on March 18, 2019, and offered to bribe Arsen Davtyan. However, S. O., having been previously informed about the agreement between A. M. and the director, refused to accept the director's proposal.

As a measure of restraint, a signature not to leave was chosen against the accused. The investigator made a decision to temporarily suspend A. M.’s official position in the NSS.

Special Investigative Service of Armenia