Through preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding initiated in the Division of Investigation of Grave Crimes of Yerevan Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee according to the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 44-296, the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 258 of RA Criminal Code significant circumstances of extortion in particularly large amount committed by a group were found out.
 

Particularly, in the result of large-scale procedural and evidential actions factual data were obtained on the allegation that the chairman of “Public Voice” party Artak Galstyan and honorable president of the same party Vardan Ghukasyan had reached prior agreement on committing extortion in particularly large amount from T.A.. On March 23, 2022 A. Galstyan made a phone call to T.A. and required 110.000 USD tantamount to 53.806.500 AMD, otherwise information about him and his wife, humiliating their honor and dignity, defaming their reputation would be published during the program “Public Voice” run by V. Ghukasyan. T.A. did not fulfill their requirement and as a result between October, 2022 and February, 2023 V. Gh. published similar information for several times on his page opened on youtube.com video publishing site.
 

Besides, within the framework of another criminal proceeding it was found out that in September, 2022 V. Ghukasyan using sexual swearing on his YouTube channels, published fake information about the activity of two night clubs. Then in autumn, 2022 another person – A. Mkrtumyan went to one of these clubs introducing himself as a bronze medalist of the world championship of illusionists. After the visit he gave information about the events that took place in the club, as well as about the visitors containing videos. V. Ghukasyan published them on his YouTube channel threatening to publish defamatory information about the visitors as well, if they didn’t stop visiting the club.
 

About 10 days after it the security officer of the party called the club and for V. Ghukasyan to stop the obscene and degrading programs on YouTube channel, demanded that the security service in the club should be carried out by the officers of “Public Security” service for 2-3 million AMD per month guaranteeing that during that time they could commit any illegality.
 

After the mentioned demand was rejected V. Ghukasyan discredited the club more intensively and published the photos of the employee in charge, his family aiming to force him in that way to accept the extortion demand under the guise of providing a security service. On March 31, 2023 A. Mkrtumyan again visited the club and meeting the employee in charge, demanded that he should transfer 60.000-100.000 USD to the fund pointed out by V. Ghukasyan, adding that only in that case V. Ghukasyan would not publish any information about the club, its visitors and his family.
 

On the base of the sufficient evidence obtained during preliminary investigation motions were submitted to the prosecutor to initiate a public criminal prosecution against V. Ghukasyan and A. Galstyan for committing extortion in particularly large amount by group. The motions were sufficed.
 

Based on the investigative body’s decisions made on the base of the obtained sufficient data A. Galstyan and A. Mkrtumyan were arrested.
 

In the result of searches conducted by the employees of the RA Investigative Committee in the offices of the party “Public Voice” and “Public Security, A. Galstyan’s house, as well as in the houses of people related to the latter and V. Ghukasyan, items, documents of interest to the investigation, notebooks with notes confirming the extortion fact and flash drives were found and confiscated.
 

Within the framework of preliminary investigation data were also obtained that V. Ghukasyan and his accomplices had made property requirements under the guise of providing various services.
 

Currently, a total of 46 counts of cases in relation to the mentioned people on allegedly committing hooliganism using information or communication technologies, extortion, public speech aimed at inciting or promoting hatred, discrimination, intolerance or hostility, violation of privacy of personal or family life, interference with official's legal service or political activities, interference with the administration of justice or the investigation of a case, disrespect towards court, public calls for violence, publicly justifying violence and dissemination of materials or objects for that purpose and other crimes are subject of investigation at the RA Investigative Committee.
 

The RA Investigative Committee urges the citizens who have been affected by the actions of V. Ghukasyan, A. Galstyan and their accomplices to apply to the nearest territorial subdivision of the RA Investigative Committee or the Police of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs.
 

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