Charges Filed Against Goris Deputy Mayor and Shurnukh Leader

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has reported that significant investigative actions were carried out in relation to the hooliganism incident that occurred during the Prime Minister's visit to the Syunik region on April 21, 2021.

According to the obtained factual data, the deputy mayor of Goris and the administrative head of the Shurnukh community organized a gathering of individuals with the intent of committing hooliganism by damaging someone else's property after learning of the Prime Minister's visit to Syunik on April 20, 2021. On that day, around 10:00 AM, individuals gathered nearby the Goris-Kapan highway, based on the instructions of the Goris deputy mayor, including several representatives from various communities within Goris.

In order to provide food to the gathered individuals and instruct them regarding the commission of the crime, the deputy mayor of Goris organized a feast around tables set up on a hill near the Goris-Kapan highway around 2:50 PM. During this gathering, in an effort to influence them and make their hooligan actions more active and effective, alcohol was served to the participants, while the deputy mayor and the Shurnukh community leader aroused hostility against the Prime Minister by defaming him.

Continuing their criminal actions, the deputy mayor and the Shurnukh community leader instructed the gathered individuals around 4:15 PM to block the passage of the Prime Minister's motorcade on that stretch of the road. During this time, individuals assembled near the highway where the deputy mayor instructed the hooligans to strike the vehicle serving the Prime Minister.

When police arrived to maintain public order and after negotiations not to obstruct traffic, most of the hooligans, on instructions from the deputy mayor and the Shurnukh community leader, gathered at the edge of the road leading to Goris.

As the Prime Minister and his entourage passed through the Shurnukh area in a motorcade, the hooligans, including the Goris deputy mayor, demonstrated blatant disrespect and open contempt towards the residents of the area and many others watching the live broadcast of the events, making public insulting statements and refusing to comply with legal requests from law enforcement. A group of participants intentionally struck the Prime Minister's Mercedes S 600 as well as the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 vehicles in the motorcade.

The organized hooliganism by the Goris deputy mayor and the Shurnukh leader disrupted public order and the uninterrupted operation of transport, obstructed the movement of the Prime Minister and his accompanying persons, and caused intentionally significant property damage amounting to 24,011,500 AMD to the state-owned Mercedes S 600 vehicle.

Based on a sufficient combination of evidence, charges have been filed against the Goris deputy mayor and the Shurnukh community leader under Part 3, Article 258 and Part 3, Article 185 of the RA Criminal Code. Charges have been filed against 11 individuals under Part 1, Article 258 and Part 3, Article 185, while 8 individuals face charges under Part 1, Article 258. As a preventive measure, they have been required to sign a pledge not to leave.

A separate proceeding has been initiated for these 21 individuals, the pre-trial investigation has been completed, and the criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor conducting procedural oversight for approval of the indictment and submission to court.

Notice: An individual suspected or accused of a crime shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia by a court verdict entering into legal force.