Thief under the Law Issues Directive for Punishment: ‘To Eliminate’ the Disobedient

The Prosecutor's Office of Lori Province has received a prosecutorial conclusion regarding the murder of Ash. Janinyan, which took place on February 20, 2021, in the village of Odzun. The criminal case was initiated under Article 104, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code by the Tumanyan investigation division of the RA Investigative Committee. The Prosecutor's Office reports that the supervising prosecutor, through a review of the materials of the case, found indications of criminal acts characteristic of the criminal subculture.

Specifically, during the preliminary investigation of the murder case, investigative and operational-search measures revealed that an individual with a high status in the criminal hierarchy, currently abroad, A. J., as a criminal authority, took upon himself the resolution of a dispute that had previously occurred between V. B. and A. M. On February 20, 2021, he had a phone conversation with A. M., during which he presented demands based on his status. However, A. M. interrupted the conversation. A. J., considering this act as an insult to the 'thief under the law', instructed Ash. Janinyan to punish A. M. by 'eliminating' him.

Consequently, on the same day, Ash. Janinyan met with A. M., but the latter, having a hunting rifle with him, shot at Ash. Janinyan, killing him.

Taking into account that there are factual data in the materials of the criminal case regarding the maintenance of the high status in the criminal hierarchy, on June 30, 2022, a criminal case was initiated under Article 223.1, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code in the Prosecutor's Office of the province. The case was forwarded to the investigative department of the RA Investigative Committee in Lori Province for preliminary investigation.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor confirmed the accusatory conclusion regarding one individual in the criminal case of Ash. Janinyan's murder and sent the case to the first instance court of general jurisdiction of Lori Province for substantive examination.