Investigation Completed Against 21 Defendants in Incident During Prime Minister's Visit to Syunik

The investigation regarding the 21 defendants in the incident that occurred during the Prime Minister of Armenia's visit to the Syunik region has been completed. The Investigative Committee of Armenia reports that as a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions carried out by the Main Investigation Department for Particularly Important Cases, the circumstances of the hooliganism incident that took place during the Prime Minister's visit on April 21, 2021, have been clarified.

According to the factual data obtained from the investigation, the Deputy Mayor of Goris and the Administrative Head of the Shurnukh community organized a gathering of individuals with the intent to commit hooliganism by damaging someone else's property upon learning of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Syunik region on April 20, 2021. On that day, around 10:00 AM, with the gross intent to disturb public order, a group of individuals gathered in the area adjacent to the Goris-Kapan highway, guided by the instructions of the Deputy Mayor of Goris, along with representatives from various neighborhoods of Goris community.

To feed those gathered and issue instructions regarding the commission of the crime, around 2:50 PM, organized by the Deputy Mayor of Goris, the individuals got together near tables set up on a hill adjacent to the Goris-Kapan highway. During this time, to influence them and make hooligan actions more active and effective, alcohol was offered, and in order to instill determination and motivate them to take action, the Deputy Mayor of Goris and the Administrative Head of Shurnukh slandered the Prime Minister.

Continuing their illegal actions, around 4:15 PM, the Deputy Mayor and the Administrative Head instructed those gathered to block the Prime Minister's motorcade on the specified section of the road. At that moment, the individuals gathered near the highway, where the Deputy Mayor instructed those participating in the hooliganism to strike the vehicles serving the Prime Minister.

When police arrived at the scene to maintain public order, after negotiations to not obstruct traffic on the highway, most hooligans gathered at the edge of the road leading to Goris under the instructions of the Deputy Mayor of Goris and the Administrative Head of Shurnukh. During the passage of the Prime Minister and his accompanying personnel through Shurnukh with a motorcade, the hooligans, including the Deputy Mayor of Goris, publicly expressed disrespect and blatant contempt towards the residents of the community and the multitude of individuals following the live broadcast of the events, uttering offensive expressions. They did not comply with the lawful demands of law enforcement, and a group of participants intentionally struck the “Mercedes S 600” serving the Prime Minister, as well as the “Toyota Land Cruiser 200” in the motorcade.

The hooliganism organized by the Deputy Mayor of Goris and the Administrative Head of Shurnukh disrupted public tranquility and the uninterrupted operation of transport, obstructed the movement of the Prime Minister and his accompanying individuals, and intentionally caused significant property damage in the amount of 24,011,500 AMD to the state-owned “Mercedes S 600” vehicle. Based on the collected evidence, charges have been brought against the Deputy Mayor of Goris and the Administrative Head of Shurnukh under the first part of Article 258 and the first part of Article 185 of the RA Criminal Code. Charges have been brought against 11 individuals under the third part of Article 258 and the third part of Article 185 of the RA Criminal Code, and against 8 individuals under the first part of Article 258. A measure preventing their departure has been selected for them. The proceedings regarding these 21 individuals have been separated into individual proceedings, the investigation has been completed, and the case has been referred to the prosecutor supervising the proceedings for approval of the indictment and to be sent to court.