Over 143 Million Dram Damage Caused to Community Due to Illegal Land Transactions

The Criminal Proceedings investigated by the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia have revealed that between 2020 and 2021, an individual who held the position of the head of the Nor Kharberd community in the Ararat region misused his official position. Due to close personal relationships with fellow villagers and acquaintances, he facilitated the acquisition of non-privatizable land plots belonging to the community for their personal interests, contrary to the interests of the community.

Specifically, ignoring the prohibition of alienation stipulated in Article 60 of the RA Land Code, in 2021 he organized an auction-sale, through which he alienated 13 units of pasture land with a total area of 9.5 hectares to various individuals, causing significant damage of approximately 142,694,213 AMD to the community's legitimate interests. This information has been reported by the Anti-Corruption Committee.

Additionally, on February 16, 2021, the community leader, driven by other personal motives, prepared and confirmed with his signature and the community seal certificates stating that five land plots in the Nor Kharberd community did not fall under the categories of land subject to alienation as per Article 60 of the RA Land Code and could be privatized, while in fact, these were legally protected non-privatizable lands.

The former head of the Nor Kharberd community has been charged under Article 308, Part 1 (3 episodes) and Article 314, Part 1 (5 episodes) of the former Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The pre-investigation has been completed, and the materials of the criminal case have been sent to the Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia with an indictment. Concurrently, the RA Prosecutor General's Office has been suggested to discuss the initiation of a lawsuit to annul the transactions of the illegally alienated real estate established in this criminal case in accordance with Article 4, Part 2 of the Law on Prosecution, so as to return the property units to the community's balance for the protection of state interests.

Notification: The accused in the crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia with a legally valid court decision.