Оn 7 December, 2019 human rights activist A.Sakunts, having posted a record on his Facebook page, overstepped all the bounds in a fit of groundless rage, on the one hand, using defamatory statements related to the National Security Service of RA and its officers insulting their honor and dignity and, on the other hand, misleading broad strata of society by presenting disinformation on certain facts that do not correspond to reality.

Thus, with regard to the concern expressed in the publication over the property of high-ranking officials of the RA NSS and persons related to them, we consider it necessary to recall that they are included in the list of officials who submit a declaration in accordance with the law, whose property and income are shown in the given declarations, therefore, information on the property owned by them and related persons is publicly available.  

Therefore, we can state that not only activity of high-ranking officials of the RA NSS, but also their property and income, including the property and income of related persons, as in the case of other officials submitting a declaration, are also in the focus of attention of members of the society.    

Nevertheless, if any person, including the author of the publication, knows data on the property and income of high-ranking officials of the RA NSS other than those presented in declarations that can testify to an apparent crime, we propose to submit a report as established by law, including to the NSS of RA. In this case, we are ready to consistently respond to the given statements, otherwise it is not for the NSS of RA to verify the authenticity of declarations of high-ranking officials.        

With regard to the requests of the RA NSS concerning the property of political opposition and civil society figures, including the author of the publication, and persons related to them before the revolution, the author of the publication should have known about the tasks and functions vested upon the RA NSS by the law; in particular, within the framework of functions ensuring the security of the Republic of Armenia in order to protect the constitutional order, to combat terrorism, including international terrorism, money laundering, and to prevent, suppress and detect other transnational criminal manifestations, the RA NSS periodically targets different international organizations, their representatives and persons cooperating with them who receive funds from foreign countries regardless of their names, type of activity and other circumstances.  

The fact that in every country, including different donor countries, international financial flows are in the field of view of special services for security reasons, does not require additional justification, and the author of the publication, of all people, should know that, and there is no need to speculate once again on the name of the structure which day and night, as a result of hard work, ensures the right to safe life and self-expression of all people, including the author of the publication.     

With regard to unfounded accusations addressed to the Interim Director of the RA NSS concerning appointments of persons from the inner circle in the structure of the RA NSS, we once again urge the author of the publication before expressing his views to get acquainted with, read, re-read the RA legislation and understand that work in the national security bodies is a type of military service, which, among other things, implies strict compliance with the rules of service hierarchy and discipline. That is about it in general.     

Meanwhile, we consider it necessary to recall that there are more stringent criteria for hiring and promotion in the RA NSS, as а special service, regardless of the degree of closeness; as for the close ties, we inform all those who are concerned about this issue that in case of compliance with the requirements for an employee of а special service and in case of absence of legislative restrictions, a person who has close ties cannot be deprived of the opportunity to serve in the national security bodies.    

Finally, we urge while making statements on the activity of the RA NSS, as well as officers in the national security bodies, to show vigilance, observe the utmost restraint, not to give vent to emotional outbursts caused by inferiority complex, and before making statements to weigh the pros and cons, not to follow the path of self-assertion discrediting the most important state structure and, undoubtedly, to follow the rules of civilized ethics inherent to members of civil society.