In the result of investigative and procedural actions conducted within the criminal proceeding, initiated in the Investigative Division of Avan and Nor Nork administrative districts of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee on trafficking, a number of significant circumstances were found out.

On February 6, 2023 a report was received from 66 year-old resident of Kotayk province informing that the resident of the same province had induced her begging.

A criminal proceeding was initiated and in the result of necessary measures taken jointly together with the police employees of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs within the framework of the criminal proceeding it was found out that in 2009 66 year-old woman, living in Yerevan on a rental basis, got acquainted with 43 year-old man living in the same address on rental basis. He made her financially dependent and taking advantage of the fact that she was alone and helpless subjected her to exploitation – he forced her to beg for years.

Pursuant to investigation data, 66 year-old woman asked 43 year-old man to do construction work for which the man demanded 3000 USD. Seeing that the woman could not pay the demanded money, the man induced her to collect money by begging in different administrative districts of Yerevan, to give him the whole money collected during the day – about 35 - 40.000 AMD, and when the woman did not agree, or the money she had given to him was little, he beat her.

Besides, pursuant to initial data, the man, aiming to possess the 66-year-old woman's pension, registered her in his house located in Byureghavan town, Kotayk province, formulated pension in her name which, pursuant to initial data, he embezzled.

The woman tried to flee for several times but each time the man found out where she was, forced her to go home, beat her for fleeing and again forced to beg.

The last time the woman ran away was on January 31, 2023, she spent a few days in the street after which due to the employees of Nor Nork Police Division she was taken to the shelter for the homeless.

The mentioned resident of Kotayk province was arrested on the base of reasonable suspicion of the crime committal envisaged by the Part 1 of the Article 188 of RA Criminal Code.

Search was conducted in the latter’s residence, as prescribed by law, as a result the pension bank card of the victim, 70.200 USD, as well as 1,299,750 AMD coins sorted and collected in separate bags were found. Pursuant to initial data, the confiscated coins were the money collected in the result of begging. Through personal search of the mentioned person the victim’s passport, social card were found.

A motion on initiation of public criminal prosecution was submitted to the supervising prosecutor by the investigative body which was sufficed and charge was pressed against the man according to the Part 1 of the Article 188 of RA Criminal Code.

A motion was submitted to court to choose detention as a pretrial measure against the man. It was sufficed.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.