Brother of Masis Mayor Arrested for Promoting Prostitution, Says SSC Spokesperson

The Investigative Committee has arrested the brother of Masis Mayor David Hambardzumyan for promoting prostitution. This was announced to the media by the spokesperson of the Investigative Committee, Vardan Tadevosyan.

It should be noted that the Investigative Committee had previously issued a statement indicating that a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Main Department for the Investigation of Particularly Important Cases had revealed the circumstances surrounding the promotion of prostitution by two or more individuals.

As a result of investigative and procedural actions carried out during the pre-trial proceedings, it was established that two residents of Masis, aged 33 and 39, in agreement with persons still unidentified in the investigation, allowed individuals engaged in prostitution on Bagratuniats Avenue in Yerevan to stand in that area for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, smoothed out obstacles that arose during their activities, provided means of transport for their transfer, and collected money received from clients to benefit financially, with the assistance of one of the sex workers, from March to June 2021, they promoted prostitution by facilitating a number of individuals.

According to a prior agreement, the residents of Masis demanded money from the aforementioned sex workers on a daily basis. The 39-year-old man received, both personally and through one of the sex workers, the money received from engaging in prostitution in full or in part, a portion of which he periodically transferred to the 33-year-old compatriot and other unidentified persons in the investigation.

It was also revealed that one of the women engaged in prostitution in the indicated area regularly provided the 39-year-old man with information regarding the whereabouts of another sex worker, services of a sexual nature offered, and the money earned as a result, thus assisting in promoting prostitution.

Based on a combination of sufficient evidence, the two residents of Masis have been charged under Articles 262, parts 2, clause 1 and 5, of the RA Criminal Code. They have been placed under arrest as a preventive measure. The sex worker has been charged under Articles 38-262, parts 2, clause 1 and 5, of the RA Criminal Code, with the preventive measure of a written undertaking not to leave chosen. The pre-investigation has been completed for these three individuals.