Corruption Crimes Committed by Directors and Employees of the Sevan National Park

Directors and employees of two branches of the Sevan National Park State Non-Commercial Organization (SNCO) have committed corruption-related crimes. This has been reported by the Investigation Committee of Armenia.

The investigation has established that the inspectors of the Armenian National Park branch "Arevik" and the "Vardenis" branch, from 2012 to 2019, did not attend work on various months and days, failing to perform their job responsibilities. Some of them were also absent from the country during this period. However, the directors of the mentioned branches, identified as H.M. and M.H., did not indicate any absences in the column for days not worked.

It has also been noted that the director of the "Arevik" branch did not attend work during the period from July to November 2019 but still received a salary for the days not worked.

As a result of these actions, a total of 4,158,011 AMD ($10,900) was unlawfully extracted from the state budget, which was embezzled in a wasteful manner.

It was also revealed that the directors of the two branches were aware of illegal fishing activities being conducted by three inspectors in 2019 at Lake Sevan and demanded and received "SIG" fish as a bribe from them. It became known that the former director of the "Arevik" branch had allowed two inspectors of the same branch to engage in illegal fish catching at Lake Sevan.

Moreover, the former director H.M. of the "Arevik" branch illegally cut down 18 spruce trees from the "Areguni" section of the Sevan National Park during the years 2017-2018, causing property damage amounting to 1,375,000 AMD ($3,500) to the vegetation.

Based on the gathered evidence, the directors of the "Vardenis" and "Arevik" branches have been charged with embezzlement through abuse of official position, official forgery, receiving bribes, and the forestry specialist of the "Arevik" branch has been charged with receiving bribes, while five inspectors of the branches have been charged with giving bribes.

A measure of restraint of pre-trial detention was initially chosen for the director of the "Arevik" branch, which was later replaced by bail. Meanwhile, a travel ban has been imposed on the other eight defendants.

The pre-trial investigation has been completed, and the criminal proceedings against the nine individuals have been sent to court with an indictment.