As a result of the measures taken, with the active assistance of the RA Prosecutor's Office and the RA NSS, factual data were obtained on cases of obvious defection to the side of the enemy, as well as on cases of state treason, manifested in espionage.

 

In particular, on August 10, 2022, the RA NSS Investigation Department received a corresponding report on obvious crimes from the Counterintelligence Department of the RA NSS, regarding obvious cases of high treason on the part of the RA citizen V. Gh., as well as espionage by a foreign citizen.

 

In particular, according to the available factual data, RA citizen V. Gh., in 2017, being recruited by the special services of a foreign state, provided them with other types of assistance to carry out hostile activities, on his own initiative established contact with employees of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Georgia, and on June 7 2022, having left Armenia through the Bagratashen border crossing, on August 7, in a video message to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, he stated that he was renouncing the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia and wanted to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Thus, state treason was committed, which was expressed in going over to the side of the enemy, espionage to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and external security of the Republic of Armenia.

 

In addition, on August 10, 2022, the Investigative Department of the NSS of the Republic of Armenia received a corresponding report from the Counterintelligence Department of the NSS of the Republic of Armenia about alleged crimes in connection with obvious cases of treason by the citizen of the Republic of Armenia I.V., as well as espionage by a foreign citizen.

 

In particular, according to the available factual data, the citizen of the Republic of Armenia I.V., who lives in the city of Istanbul of the Republic of Turkey and was recruited by the special services of foreign states, during 2022 in his publications on the Facebook social network, openly made anti-Armenian statements in which he praised the Azerbaijani authorities and their policies, criticized the 2020 elections, the actions of the Armenian armed forces during the Artsakh-Azerbaijani war that began on September 27, and also addressed the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to accept him as a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan and give him the opportunity to live and work in the city of Stepanakert, which is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Thus, he apparently committed treason, which was expressed in going over to the side of the enemy and espionage to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and external security of the Republic of Armenia.

 

On August 10, 2022, two separate criminal proceedings were initiated in the investigative department of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia on the indicated cases under Part 1 of Article 418 and Part 1 of Article 424 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

 

In order to provide an appropriate criminal law assessment of the actions of these persons, urgent investigative and procedural actions are being carried out.

 

 

Notice: Every person suspected in or charged with a criminal offense shall be presumed innocent unless proved guilty in the manner prescribed by the RA Criminal Procedure Code and unless the verdict comes into legal force.