Payment to the Forest Manager Led to the Felling of About 90 Trees in Lori

In connection with illegal tree felling incidents in the protected areas of the Vahagni Forest Management of the 'Hayantar' State Non-Commercial Organization of the RA Ministry of Environment, a broad-scale illegal tree cutting operation has been uncovered. This activity has caused significant material damage to the state, amounting to over 6 million AMD.

During the preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated by the National Security Service of Armenia and under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Committee of the RA, sufficient evidence was gathered proving that M.N., the forest manager of the Vahagni Forest Service, used his official position against the interests of the service and, in 2021, instructed forest ranger S.V. to allow a group of local residents from Lori Province to enter the specified forest area without proper documentation and engage in illegal tree cutting.

Subsequently, these individuals paid the forest manager certain amounts for each cubic meter of wood they cut. Additionally, forest manager M.N. established an agreement for the sale of wood with local resident S.M., who then, from March to mid-autumn 2021, transported the illegally cut wood from the forest by residents D.K. and G.K. to a location called 'Zamarlu' in Lori Province, where it was subsequently loaded onto vehicles belonging to S.M.

For each cubic meter of this wood, S.M. paid M.N. 8,000 AMD, of which 6,000 AMD was considered the value of the wood, while 2,000 AMD was paid to D.K. and G.K. as wages. The criminal case established that forest manager M.N., allegedly incited by a group of local residents including S.M. and H.S., deliberately did not perform his duties and misused his authority against the interests of the service, leading to the illegal felling of around 90 trees of various species, including 'Hacharen', 'Tkhi', 'Kaghni', 'Sochini', 'Hatseni', 'Bokhi', 'Loreni', and others within the jurisdiction of the Vahagni Forest Management during 2021. The obtained wood was either illegally sold or utilized at discretion.

On June 22, 2022, forest manager M.N. and three other individuals were arrested by the investigator of the Anti-Corruption Committee on suspicion of committing crimes under Article 308, Part 2 and Article 38-308, Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code. On June 23, 2022, charges were filed against M.N. under Article 308, Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code. Residents H.S. and S.M. were charged under Article 38-308, Part 2 of the same code. The investigator of the Anti-Corruption Committee has submitted motions to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan for the selection of detention as a preventive measure for M.N. and S.M. The preliminary investigation is ongoing with necessary investigative and other procedural extensive actions being carried out, as well as operative-search measures aimed at revealing the full scope of the crimes and the individuals involved.