Candidate for Parliament Distributed Bribes

The investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Armenia has revealed that Aramais Aproyan, a candidate for parliament nominated by the Prosperous Armenia party, coordinated the activities of the party's Gavar territorial office and reached a preliminary agreement with the office's secretary, Sonya Zakoyan. This agreement involved distributing foodstuffs as bribes to around eighty voters in exchange for their support during the upcoming extraordinary elections for the National Assembly.

According to the pre-arranged agreement with the voters, on June 8 and 9, 2021, Aproyan, through Zakoyan, distributed food packages worth a total of approximately 180,000 AMD to 31 voters in the Gavar region of Gegharkunik Province, with each receiving packages valued at between 5,000 and 10,000 AMD.

On June 9, Aramais Aproyan, Sonya Zakoyan, and several individuals who received electoral bribes were apprehended by the Gavar division of the Republic of Armenia police. As a result, these individuals were deprived of the opportunity to distribute the food packages to the remaining voters listed as beneficiaries of the bribes.

Charges have been brought against seven individuals for committing these criminal acts under the first part of Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, while Aramais Aproyan and Sonya Zakoyan face charges under the first and second points of the fourth part of Article 154.2. Aproyan has been placed in custody as a measure of restraint, and the investigation into his case has been completed.