Charges Filed Against the Head of the Jrashen Community in Lori Province

Based on materials prepared under the directive of the Lori Province Prosecutor’s Office, a criminal case has been initiated regarding abuses related to the leasing of state and community-owned real estate and the subsequent sub-leasing by those tenants. Obtained factual data relates to abuses committed in the process of allocating parcels of land in the Jrashen community of Lori Province for the installation of antennas.

It has been revealed that the head of the Jrashen community, being aware by virtue of his office of a telecommunication operator's intent to install and operate an antenna on community-owned land and their willingness to pay a high rent in return, aimed to redirect the expected high rental income from community property to improve his family's welfare rather than to the community budget. Misusing his official position against the interests of public service, he organized public tenders to ensure additional income for his family from the use of community property in the coming years due to selfish motivations.

By leading the public tenders, he organized and improperly conducted a formal auction for the alienation of community-owned land, in which his son was declared the winner. Consequently, on October 2, 2006, a parcel of land measuring 0.1 hectares, belonging to the Jrashen rural community, was sold at auction for 76,590 AMD to him, and a purchase agreement was signed, transferring ownership of the land to the community leader's son.

A month later, he leased the same land to a telecommunication operator for a monthly fee of 100,000 AMD and received substantial profits from the organization in the form of rent amounting to a total of 17,260,000 AMD until June 30, 2021. As a result, the community suffered significant damage to its rights and legal interests, losing control of its property and the opportunity to receive substantial income of 17,260,000 AMD from its use.

Driven by the same selfish motivations, the community leader has yet to take any measures to change the designated purpose of the land in question, to cease its non-purposeful use, or to ensure compliance with land legislation by the land users.

For committing this public-endangering act, the head of the Jrashen community was charged on July 16, 2021, under part 2 of Article 308 of the RA Criminal Code, with the chosen preventive measure being a signature not to leave. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to restore the damages inflicted on the community.

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