New Evidence of Electoral Bribery: Charges Filed Against Prosperous Armenia Candidate

The Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia has uncovered new evidence of electoral bribery. According to the committee's press service, one of these pertains to the local government elections held on December 5 in the Vardenis enlarged community.

Two criminal cases have been initiated regarding instances of giving and receiving electoral bribes, and the pre-investigation of another criminal case concerning the same facts has been completed.

On December 9, 2021, based on the report of a resident of Gegharkunik province identified as G.M., a criminal case was opened by the Anti-Corruption Committee under the second part of Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia for bribing voters to vote in favor of a party alliance.

Specifically, G.M. reported that the day before the local elections in the Vardenis community, held under a proportional representation system on December 5, 2021, she was offered a bribe of 60,000 AMD to vote for the "Aharon Khachatryan" party alliance, which she refused.

On the same day, another criminal case was initiated by the Anti-Corruption Committee regarding the bribery of voters to vote in favor of the mentioned party alliance under the first part of Article 154.2 and the second clause of the fourth part of the same article of the Criminal Code.

An investigation is underway.

In the course of another criminal case also investigated for electoral bribery, it was substantiated that Ara Israelian, as the head of the Youth Organization of the Prosperous Armenia Party and a candidate included in the party's list, had given Arman Ellaryan a bribe equivalent to 100 US dollars, which amounts to 51,300 AMD, to vote for the said party in the snap parliamentary elections held on June 20.

Ara Israelian has been charged under the second part of Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code for giving a bribe to a voter, while Arman Ellaryan has been charged under the first part of Article 154.2 for receiving an electoral bribe.

The pre-investigation into the criminal case against A. Israelian and A. Ellaryan has been completed. The case has been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a motion to approve it and forward it to court.

Notification: The suspect or accused in the alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedures established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia by a court ruling that has entered into legal force.