Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on extortion in large amount committed by a reporter against a Police official was completed in the Division of Investigation of Grave Crimes of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee.

Pursuant to data obtained during pretrial proceeding, the reporter who had been engaged with journalistic activity for years and had recently been the correspondent of one of the news sites, committed extortion in large amount against a Police official for not publicizing allegedly defamatory information about the latter.

Thus, on June 18, 2019 the reporter visited the official of the police, introduced herself as a reporter and told that she had information that the latter was allegedly engaged in entrepreneurial activity and in this relation had unpaid tax liabilities of 41.000.000 AMD threatening to publicize the information in several news sites in the result of which he would be defamed and dismissed from job.  

Pursuant to investigation data, the reporter demanded money in large amount – 800.000 AMD for not publicizing defamatory information causing significant damage to the official's rights and legal interests otherwise threatening to disseminate the mentioned information.

The reporter met the Police official in his room to receive the money, demanded and received 400.000 AMD as a final amount immediately after which she was caught by police officers.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against the reporter according to the Point 3.1 of the Part 2 of the Article 182 of RA Criminal code. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against her.  At the same time the court considered usage of mortgage permissible as an optional pretrial measure.

Preliminary investigation was completed and the criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent to prosecutor supervising the legality of preliminary investigation.

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