Investigation into Military Officer’s Disclosure of State Secrets Completed: NSS

The investigation into the criminal case examined by the National Security Service (NSS) of the Republic of Armenia has been completed. It has been established through a comprehensive, objective, and thorough investigation that the former head of the Military Supervision Service of the Ministry of Defense, due to long-term service and authorized to access information classified as state secrets, disclosed sensitive military information during a public interview on November 19, 2020.

Specifically, the information disclosed included the long-term forecasts regarding weaponry and military technology, development projects, as well as programs for the use of the armed forces, other troops, and civil defense forces. Documents relating to operational plans, combat management, and various levels of combat readiness were also revealed, constituting highly classified information in the military sector.

This was reported by the NSS of the Republic of Armenia. Based on the sufficient evidence collected, the former senior military officer has been charged under part 1 of Article 306 of the RA Criminal Code, and a preventive measure has been selected for him.

On June 29, 2021, the criminal case was sent to the prosecutor responsible for overseeing the legality of the investigation, along with an accusatory conclusion for approval and forwarding to the court.

The NSS urges individuals authorized to access state secrets to strictly adhere to the requirements of the Law on State and Official Secrets, as these secrets are protected by the state, and their dissemination could pose severe consequences for the security of the Republic of Armenia.

Furthermore, it is noted that Article 306 of the RA Criminal Code stipulates penalties for the intentional or negligent disclosure of state secrets, with the aggravated part of the same article prescribing imprisonment for a term of three to seven years.

Notice: A suspect or accused of the alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code with a legally binding court verdict.