Record: 29-year-old Man Paid 5,000 Dram to At Least 4 People to Participate in Protests

The Armenian Investigative Committee has revealed that a 29-year-old man allegedly paid 5,000 dram to at least four individuals to encourage their participation in protests organized by the "Tavush for the Homeland" movement.

According to information obtained by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Yerevan Police, a phone conversation has been recorded between two men discussing financial incentives to attract participants for the protests. The recording captures discussions about distributing funds to certain participants for joining the demonstrations, concerns over the limited amounts being offered compared to what others might receive, and the overall financial matters concerning the protests.

As a result of operational-intelligence measures, the identities of the individuals involved in the recorded conversation have been established. On June 2, 2024, a criminal case was initiated in the Investigative Department of the Armenian Investigative Committee's Yerevan Office under Article 236, Part 2 of the Armenian Criminal Code.

During the pre-trial investigation, several necessary investigative and procedural actions were carried out, including searches where items of interest were seized. These included notebooks listing names of individuals along with recorded sums of money next to each name, possibly indicating payments made.

Based on the facts collected during the investigation, a motion was submitted to the supervising prosecutor to initiate public criminal proceedings against the 29-year-old man in Kotayk Province under the same article of the Criminal Code. He is accused of taking measures to financially incentivize individuals participating in protests organized under the names "Tavush for the Homeland" and "Holy Movement" in Yerevan in May 2024, including acts of civil disobedience that obstructed streets.

Specifically, it is claimed that he paid around 5,000 dram to at least four individuals for one-time participation in the mentioned gatherings in order to ensure they physically attended the events. The motion was approved, and it was decided to arrest the 29-year-old man and present the issue of applying custody as a measure of restraint to the court. The police have been instructed to carry out the arrest.

The investigation is ongoing, and measures are being taken to clarify the circumstances of the case, the sources of funding provided to incentivize participation in the protests, and the full scope of individuals involved in this process.