The preliminary investigation conducted in the criminal proceedings involving a number of counts, investigated by the RA Anti-Corruption Committee revealed cases of receiving and giving bribes in the private sector, attempting to bribe officials, as well as receiving money under the pretext of bribery and committing other corruption-related crimes in order to create grounds for exempting conscripts from compulsory military service.

In particular, it was found out that G. M. intended to organize the process of exempting his son from military service by bribing officials in the absence of grounds established by law, for which he turned to his close person B. H., a former officer of the RA Ministry of Defense, who agreed to assist in bribing the relevant officials. After that, having learned that his friend, A. M., has close relations with S. H., a doctor from one of the medical centers operating in Yerevan, he turned to A. M. for organizing the process of exemption from compulsory military service through the doctors of the aforementioned medical facility.

For this purpose, A. M. met with doctor S. H., who said he was willing to discuss the issue of granting the draftee a deferment from compulsory military service in exchange for a bribe of USD 13,000 on the basis of a fake illness. Then, on June 17, 2023, the draftee’s father transferred the aforementioned bribe to B. H., who in turn transferred it to A. M.

On July 26, 2023, B. H. informed A. M. that his son had been granted a deferment from military service. However, the investigation revealed that S. H. did not actually apply to any competent official to organize the process of finally releasing the draftee from military service and that did not actually demand and receive the amount agreed upon under the pretext of mediation for a bribe, namely USD 13,000, from A. M., while the latter used that money for his own needs, losing it at the casino.

In addition, the preliminary investigation revealed that another conscript was referred to the same medical center mentioned above for examination within the framework of the 2023 summer conscription, where A. M. again met with S. H. and had discussions with the latter, then informed the conscript’s father, A. P., that it was possible that the issue of his son’s exemption from military service would be finally resolved.

After that, A. M. proposed bribery to S. H. to continue the necessary medical examinations and create grounds for exemption from military service, which doctor S. H. accepted and on July 3, 2023, through A. M., received a bribe of USD 300 from the conscript’s father.

         In addition, during the preliminary investigation conducted in the aforementioned criminal proceedings, two cases of an official providing a “B” and “C” category driver’s license in exchange for a bribe were revealed. In particular, it was revealed that during 2023, S. K., senior inspector of the “Road Police” Service of the RA MIA Police received a total of 600,000 AMD bribe from A. M. and another person with mediation of A. A., in exchange for which the traffic police inspector, without checking the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the aforementioned persons in driving a vehicle, issued them driving licenses.

8 persons including A. M., the doctor of the medical center S. H., the latter’s assistants B. H. and S. M., as well as the traffic police inspector S. K., were charged under various articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia for the above-mentioned criminal acts.

The preliminary investigation in the criminal proceedings has been completed, and the materials of the proceedings with the indictment have been sent to the court for examination on the merits.

Notification. the person accused of a crime is considered innocent until his guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a verdict entered into legal force.