Two Citizens of Armenia Apply to the President of Azerbaijan for Citizenship

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia has already reported that, as a result of measures taken in active cooperation with the National Security Service of Armenia, two separate criminal cases have been initiated in the investigative department of the NSS of Armenia on August 10, 2022, under Article 418, part 1, and Article 424, part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia due to actions that indicate state treason related to passing to the side of the enemy and espionage.

Based on the procedural and evidentiary actions conducted during the criminal proceedings, evidence has been obtained indicating that Armenian citizens V.G. and I.V., who resides in Istanbul, Turkey, have been recruited by the special services of a foreign state. V.G. provided them with assistance in carrying out hostile activities and, on his initiative, established contact with employees of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Georgia.

Individually, they have contacted the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan through various means of communication with the intention to renounce their Armenian citizenship and acquire Azerbaijani citizenship.

Based on the evidence collected in the aforementioned criminal proceedings, a supervising prosecutor decided on August 18, 2022, to initiate public criminal prosecution against I.V. and V.G. under Article 418, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. A motion has been filed with the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan to apply detention as a measure of restraint, which has been granted.

The decisions have been sent to the Police of Armenia for the purpose of locating the individuals and presenting them to the conducting body of the proceedings. The investigation into the criminal proceedings is ongoing.

Notice: A suspect or accused in a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia by a legally effective verdict of the court.