On October 8 a solemn session of the RA Investigative Committee dedicated to the RA Investigative Officer’s Day was held. The Speaker of the RA National Assembly Galust Sahakyan, the Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, some members of Security Council, some members of Government, the Chairman of the Chamber of Advocates and other officials were present at the session.

The congratulatory address by RA President Serzh Sargsyan on Investigative Officer’s Day was published at the solemn session;

“Dear officers of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia,

I cordially congratulate you on RA Investigative Officer’s Day.

It has been about one year now since began to fully operate the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the non-departmental investigative body established through the merger of the investigative services of the Police of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

Beginning the day of its establishment, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has faced a number of organizational, legal, material and technical and recruitment issues. Today when the majority of those issues has been addressed we can ascertain that Armenia’s largest investigative body has embarked on a path to success.

In a short period of time, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has managed to assume a major role in the fight against crime, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as in the reinforcement of our statehood and law and order.

Armenia is proclaimed as a democratic and law-governed country, and, hence, the activities of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia must be anchored in those principles. The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia must be uncompromising in the fight against crime and consistent in the protection of human rights and freedoms; must demonstrate adherence to principles and self-respect; must be a firm and law-abiding government body, which is possible only through relentless and persistent efforts. I am confident that the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia will occupy its due place in the system of law-enforcement bodies.

I once again congratulate you on your professional holiday and wish you further achievements in your difficult investigative service, health and happiness to you and your families”.

October 8 was defined as RA Investigative Officer’s Day through the decision of September 25, 2015 of the RA Government. It coincides with the day of final formation of the committee. The RA Law “On Formation of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia” came into force on June 28, 2014 and according to transitional provisions started to fully operate from October 8.

Congratulating the officers of the committee on professional holiday the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee Aghvan Hovsepyan stated that the formation process has been unprecedented and extremely tense as along with functions assigned to it by the Criminal Procedure Code, it was necessary to take measures to solve the primary and urgent legal, technical and recruitment issues the committee had faced.

“The one-year period of the activity of the RA Investigative Committee is enough to say that the RA Investigative Committee has taken over a serious role in struggle against crime, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, reinforcement of our statehood and law and order”, A. Hovsepyan stated adding “Society has a great expectation from the newly formed Investigative Committee which is proved by thousands of letters received from citizens. In order to implement that issue the activity of the RA Investigative Committee must correspond to democratic standards and the investigators must provide the steady application of national legislation and internationally recognized norms”.

“Realizing that honest, caring and skillful investigator is one of the warranties to raise the efficiency of the activity of the Committee, we will replenish the system with such investigators being consistent to principles of stability of investigation service, unity of requirements to the investigators, their legal and social protection. The procedural independence of the investigator must be respected, his creative hard work must not be hindered, it is also necessary to carefully contribute to his activity”, stated the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia mentioning that the requirements to the employees of the committee are strict, and any inappropriate, demeaning behavior of the investigative officer will not remain unpunished.

A number of officers of the Investigative Committee received state and departmental awards.