VIDEO: Colonel Arrested for Demanding Large Sums from Soldiers' Parents

The National Security Service has uncovered that a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, a colonel, demanded a large bribe of $2,000 from the mother of conscript D.H. on September 13, 2020. This demand was made without sufficient grounds for transferring the conscript to another unit within the same military establishment. The next day, 490,000 AMD was transferred to the official's account via the ‘Ajarabet’ website.

According to the NSS, the same official, during the mobilization announced on September 27, 2020, demanded a bribe of $2,500 from the parents of Y.T., who was undergoing preliminary military training at one of the units deployed in Armenia. This was again without sufficient grounds to not send the conscript to units located in combat zones. The bribe was partially received in cash equivalent to $2,000 on the same day.

Additionally, during the winter draft of 2020, the official demanded a particularly large bribe of $10,000 from M.G. for arranging a favorable service placement for his son, R.K., on December 17. Following negotiations between the bribe giver and receiver, the officer received the agreed sum.

“On January 6, 2021, using the authority that comes with his position, the aforementioned official personally requested a bribe of 1,000,000 AMD from the father of another conscript, V.H., for transferring him to another unit without sufficient grounds, which was received in parts of 350,000 AMD and 650,000 AMD on January 7 and 8, respectively,” the statement revealed.

The NSS stated that the misconduct of this individual was not limited to receiving bribes for the benefit of conscripts and mobilized servicemen. Additional details can be found here.

An arrest has been made of the colonel from the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, as well as around a dozen individuals suspected of or connected to these alleged crimes, who have been detained and are being questioned in a procedural status of a suspect.