The Investigative Committee Refuses to Provide Materials on Amulsar Case to Interested Public: HBC

The Investigative Committee of Armenia is refusing to provide the expert materials related to the criminal case concerning Amulsar to the interested public. It is crucial to note that these materials have not only been available since May 2019 to the company interested in mining but have also been subject to discussions, opinions, and objections presented by the company.

This incomprehensible double approach and the discussions with an independent international expert group regarding mining are puzzling. If these materials have been accessible to one interested party, then they should be available to others as well. Otherwise, serious and substantiated doubts arise.

Our inquiry and the documents we requested included not only the final document of the studies commissioned by the Investigative Committee on the Amulsar issue but also preliminary reports prepared by the Lebanese company “ELARD” and the American company “TRC.” Considering the public significance of this issue and the need for transparency in this entire process, the Investigative Committee should at least publish all the following documents:

1. Partial preliminary report of the Independent Assessment presented on May 31, 2019.
2. Initial report of the Independent Assessment presented on June 14, 2019.
3. Comments from Lidiane on the preliminary report of the Independent Assessment presented on June 14, which were received on June 28 and July 4.
4. Responses from Lidiane to the questions posed by the “ELARD” and “TRC” team on June 28, 2019, regarding geochemical data and mitigation measures, received on July 3, 2019.

We request that you provide or publish all of the above-mentioned documents.