The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, being faithful to the principles of equality of all before law, respect and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms, as well as being faithful to the most important modus operandi of ensuring the security of society and the state, the constitutional order, internal and external security of the state, , as a result of complex operative-search measures, as well as large-scale investigative and other procedural actions taken in parallel with them, detected cases of attempt of seizure of large-scale by using organized violence by a former official.

In particular, in the criminal case, investigated in the Investigative Department of the RA National Security Service, a body of sufficient evidence was obtained that H.Ts., adhering to markedly anti-government views, by prior agreement with a former member of the “Republican Party of Armenia” Faction of the RA National Assembly, former Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs V. A. and other persons whose identity has not yet been established, being registered in the social network “Facebook” and having a significant number of subscribers, with the aim of creating favorable conditions for the seizure of power by sowing mistrust, during 2019-2020, periodically published and disseminated incriminating, defamatory and false information, both personally and through his supporters, addressed to the RA authorities , including the RA Prime Minister and his family members, members of the RA Government and officials included in the latter, deputies of the RA NA “My Step” Faction, thus trying to undermine the authority of the current authorities, to defame the latter and receive the support of the public during the direct implementation of actions for the seizure of power.

In the conditions of the war unleashed on 27 September 2020 by the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh and, conditioned by that, and the resulting martial law declared on the same day in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, after publication on 10 November, 2020 of the report in the mass media on the agreement reached between the Republic of Armenia, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan to end the war and transfer a number of territories under the control of the Republic of Artsakh to the control of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H. Ts., having learnt about the civil disorders taking place in various regions of the Republic of Armenia, in particular, in the buildings of the RA Government, the RA National Assembly and other facilities of state significance and public places in Yerevan, realizing that favorable conditions were created for the seizure of power, by prior agreement with a group of persons, he proceeded to directly commit actions aimed at seizing power through the use of violence, as well as in another way not provided for by the RA Constitution.

To this end, he first took part in the civil disorders in the RA National Assembly accompanied by the destruction and damage of property, as a result of which public security was at risk, and then he and other members of the group, noticing a Toyota Land Cruiser official car provided to the Chairman of the RA National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan, complementing each other's actions, surrounded it, together with other participants in the civil disorders, rocked, shook the car, trying to turn it over, climbed the car, opened the car door from the driver’s side to use violence, during which the participants of the civil disorders damaged the official car of Ararat Mirzoyan, breaking also the windows of the car, thereby forcing the Chairman of the RA National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan and employees ensuring his security to get out of the car.

After that H. Ts. with a group of other persons used violence against Ararat Mirzoyan and the staff of the security department of the Chairman of the RA National Assembly of the RA NSS SPS, striking numerous blows and punches on their heads and various parts of the body, as a result of which Ararat Mirzoyan fainted and was taken to medical centrer “Erebuni”.

Then, H. Ts. continuing and intending to complete his actions aimed at seizing power through the use of violence, as well as in another way not provided for by the RA Constitution, that is, forming a government without holding elections, in violation of the procedure provided for by the Constitution and in similar illegal ways, ignoring the norm envisaged by the RA Constitution that power in the Republic of Armenia belongs to the people, as well as the right to free expression of the will of people when forming power, and a group of persons  not established by the investigation, with the aim of using violence, they searched for the RA Prime Minister on Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, the governors who are officials implementing the territorial policy of the RA Government, coordinating the activities of the territorial services of the republican executive bodies, in order to completely  eliminate all possible obstacles to the seizure of power in this way.

One of the organizers informed the former member of the “Republican Party of Armenia” faction of the RA National Assembly, the former Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs V. A., urging the latter to carry out the seizure of power in accordance with a previously developed program, however, H.Ts. and other members of the group did not complete the mentioned criminal act due to circumstances beyond their control, since their illegal actions did not receive public support, and the employees ensuring the security of the RA Prime Minister prevented and disrupted the use of violence against the RA Prime Minister, shortly before the events, transporting the RA Prime Minister to a safe place, in connection with which later H.Ts., during a phone conversation with his supporters, expressed regret, noting that if events had unfolded “correctly” on that day, they would have already seized the power, adding that “these would not exist now”.

In addition to that, H. Ts., having the procedural status of an accused within the framework of a criminal case being investigated by the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service, on 14 November, 2020, during the discussion of the application of arrest as a measure of restraint against him in the criminal case investigated in the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan with the aim of adopting a favorable judicial act in their favor and avoiding imprisonment, with the help of his acquaintance, intervened in the investigation of the case in order to obstruct the administration of justice.

For the commission of the aforementioned criminal acts on the part of the body conducting the proceedings, it was decided to change the charge against H.Ts. and to bring a new one against him, and a motion was again filed with the Court on the application of arrest as a restrictive measure given that the previous motion had been rejected by the Court.

At the same time, based on the direct suspicion of committing the aforementioned criminal acts, a former member of the “the Republican Party of Armenia” faction of the RA National Assembly, former Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs V. A. was detained. The latter was involved as an accused and a motion was filed with the Court to apply arrest as a measure of restraint against him which was rejected.

Operative-search and appropriate investigative and other procedural actions are being taken in the direction of finding the remaining members of the group and applying adequate criminal-legal enforcement actions against them, preventing, disrupting and neutralizing further criminal activity of the remaining members of the group.

It should be noted that as a result of urgent investigative actions taken during the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, including the conducted more than 100 searches, at the disposal of the body conducting the proceedings, it turned out to be factual data on the intentions of the persons involved in the leadership of various parties operating in the Republic of Armenia to organize civil disorders and violence during further rallies, to destabilize the internal situation through violence.

Dear compatriots, the National Security Service once again informs real risks of civil disorders have been created in the country, threfore it urges to refrain from illegal actions aimed at destabilizing the internal situation of the state and posing a threat to the life and health of people, to show high civil responsibility and law-abiding behavior, not to give vent to provocations and, accordingly, not to endanger internal and external security of the country, and also warns that the Service keeps the operational situation under control and decisively neutralizes any encroachment directed against statehood and the constitutional order.

The National Security Service calls on to act exclusively within the framework of legality and the rule of law and counts on the support of the broad segments of the society in this matter, who will report to the authorities the information that has become known to them about criminal manifestations directed against  statehood and the constitutional order, in the name of sovereignty, internal and external security of the Republic of Armenia, and reminds that they, regardless of political views, are the highest values.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.