Investigatory and other procedural actions are ongoing in the framework of the criminal case investigated in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee to find out the frame of those related to apparent illegal tree felling in several branches of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO. On the base of the obtained actual data charge was pressed against foresters of 5 branches of “Shamakhyan Area”.

It was earlier informed that cases of illegal felling of thousands of trees were disclosed in several sections of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO which, according to initial data, were committed from 2014 to 2017.

Particularly, in the section 1 of “Shamakhyan Area” branch of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO  totally 47 trees of different types and diameters were illegally cut down in the result of which damage of 14.736.250 AMD was caused to the state, 65 trees of different types and diameters were illegally cut down in the section 2 in the result of which damage of 7.853.750 AMD was caused to the state, 109 trees of different types and diameters were illegally cut down in the section 5 in the result of which damage of 36.323.750 AMD was caused to the state, 34 trees of different types and diameters were illegally cut down in the section 8 in the result of which damage of 5.477.500 AMD was caused to the state and 115 trees of different types and diameters were illegally cut down in the section 9 in the result of which damage of 34.625.000 AMD was caused to the state.

In the result of comprehensive investigation actual data were obtained on the allegation that apparent illegal tree felling had been caused by improper implementation of duties by the heads of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO, as well as foresters of several sections.

Particularly, they did not take measures in time to reveal the cases of illegal felling of different types of trees, to subject the person or people having committed illegal felling to administrative or criminal liability, respectively, as well as to restore the damage in particularly large amount caused to the state.

Besides, being materially responsible, being bound to prevent all the offences at the area of the section attached to them, without checking the section area they signed the admission-transfer protocols which did not correspond to reality according to which no illegally cut trees not formulated by offence protocols in the section were found.

On the base of the obtained evidence charge was pressed against the foresters of sections 2, 5, 9 of “Shamakhyan Area” branch of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO R. Kokhlikyan, A. Martirosyan and S. Melyan according to the Part 1 of the Article 314 and the Part 2 of the Article 315 of RA Criminal Code, charge was pressed against the foresters of sections 1 and 8 A. Martirosyan and A. Sarukhanyan according to the Part 1 of the Article 314 and the Parts 1 and 2 of the Article 315 of RA Criminal Code.

We have earlier informed that charge was pressed against the former and  current heads of «Haghartsin Area» branch of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO, the foresters of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14 of the same branch, as well according to the Part 2 of the Article 308, the Part 1 of the Article 314, the Part 2 of the Article 315 and the Part 2 of the Article 325 of RA Criminal Code.

Charge was pressed against two more residents of Teghut and Haghartsin communities of Tavush region according to the Part 3 of the Article 296 of RA Criminal Code.

Deputy Head of “Dilijan National Park” SNCO was involved as a defendant according to the Part 1 of the Article 308 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against him and search was declared.

In order to provide the compensation of the damage caused to the state the defendants’ property was seized.

Thus, within the mentioned criminal case, as of September 3, charge was pressed against 22 persons.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

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