In the result of large-scale investigative and other procedural actions conducted in General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee circumstances of abuse of official authorities, forgery, damage to documents and taking bribe committed by the person who held the position of the deputy chief of the State Environmental Inspectorate of the RA Ministry of Nature Protection in 2012, were found out.

Pursuant to factual data obtained through investigation, the latter, in prior agreement with the senior state inspector of the Division of Forest Control և Biodiversity of the same inspectorate, demanded and received bribe in large amount to do actions in favor of forester, eliminated the evaluation lists compiled during the inspection in the forestry, involved false information in the report drown up during the inspection and handed it, as well as abused his official authorities during the inspection.

Particularly, during the inspections conducted by the working group in “Syunik forestry” branch of “Hayantar” SNCO from November 1 to November 21, 2016 several types of trees cut down illegally were found in “Artsvanik forestry” of the mentioned branch. The damage caused to the state as a result of it was 738.000 AMD, in total after which the deputy chief of the State Environmental Inspectorate and state inspector of the Division of Forest Control և Biodiversity of the same inspectorate reached prior agreement on taking bribe in large amount for doing obviously illegal actions in favor of the forester.

Pursuant to the arrangement, on November 18, 2016 the deputy chief of the inspectorate took the bribe in large amount – 500.000 AMD and on November 22 in his working room together with the state inspector of the above-mentioned division of the mentioned inspectorate discussed and tore the lists compiled during the inspection in the forestry in order to reduce the actual volume of illegally cut trees and the damage caused as a result of it. The deputy chief of the inspectorate drew up the inspection report in which he involved obviously false information about the damage caused to nature and handed it.

Besides, in the result of inspections conducted from September 22 to October 7, as well as from November 1 to 22, 2016 controlled by the deputy chief of the inspectorate, totally 426 trees cut down illegally were found in 35 sections of “Noyemberyan forestry” and 34 sections of “Artsvaberd forestry” which caused the nature damage of 9.595.000 AMD, in total. In order to conceal their actual volume, with the permission of the deputy chief of the inspectorate, reducing the quantity of illegally cut down trees in the evaluation lists compiled during the inspection, the report was drown up and circulated in which false information about the quantity of the illegally cut down trees and the damage caused to the nature was involved.

Through investigation it was also found out that during the inspection conducted in “Ijevan forestry” of “Hayantar” SNCO from May 18 to June 27, 2017 based on the decision of the investigator within the criminal case investigated in Tavush Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee and by the instruction of the RA Minister of Nature Protection, the deputy chief of the inspectorate, out of personal and group interests, willfully did not fulfill his service duties; with his permission the members of the inspection group did not record the actual quantity of the trees cut down illegally found during the inspection, as well as the actual amount of the damage caused. Then the deputy chief of the inspectorate drew up a false report on the inspection and circulated it by submitting it to the investigative body in which information not corresponding to reality was involved       
     

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against the deputy chief of the State Environmental Inspectorate of the RA Ministry of Nature Protection according to the Points 2 and 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 311, the Part 2 of the Article 324, the Part 1 of the Article 314 (2 counts), the Part 1 of the Article 308, the Part 2 of the Article 308 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was used as a pretrial measure against him.

Preliminary investigation was completed and the criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent to court.

Preliminary investigation on the part of those involved in the above-mentioned crimes was formerly completed and the criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent t court.

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