S. Darbinyan, occupying the position of the Vanadzor community Head during 1999-2016, used his official position against service interests, caused significant damage to the Vanadzor community and committed an official forgery.

It was turned out that S. Darbinyan, the Community Head, ignoring the list of the Land Code, which defines the lands that cannot be transferred to citizens and legal entities, as well as the requirements defined by the Governments relevant decision, separated the plot of 0.0085 ha  out of 289.05845 ha of plots not subject to privatization, without obtaining the consent of the authorized body, changed its operational significance from settlements common land (street-square) to land for public site development and gave the address: 30/1-1 Nzhdeh street, Vanadzor.

The Head of the Community signed the official and obviously fake document addressed to the Head of the Vanadzor regional division of the Cadastre Committee as if the plot of land with an area of 0.0085 ha at 30/1-1 Nzhdeh, Vanadzor is not included in the number of plots defined by Article 60 of the Land Code. On 1 August 2016, the property right of the Vanadzor community was registered at 30/1-1 G. Nzhdeh street of Vanadzor for the mentioned plot of land, which is a settlements common land.

Later, hiding the plot’s operational importance from the members of the Council of the Elders, without the consent of the authorized body, he submitted to the approval of the Council of Elders of Vanadzor community the proposal on the alienation of the plot at 30/1-1 G. Nzhdeh street, Vanadzor city by auction. The proposal was adopted by the decision of the Council of the Elders dated 7 September 2016. S. Vardenisyan was declared the winner in one stage, the auction protocol was drawn up and the plot was sold to S. Vardenisyan for 403.770 AMD.

S. Darbinyan was charged with commitment of official forgery and usage of his official post, based on the decision on starting a criminal prosecution adopted by the Deputy Prosecutor of Lori region.

In order to ensure the further confiscation of the property, a ban was applied to the land plot.

The case was sent to the Anti-Corruption Court with a bill of indictment.

Notice:  Every person 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.