Officers of Syunik regional department of the RA National Security Service carrying out a consistent fight against corruption phenomena, cooperating with officers of the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service, detected a case of demanding and receiving a bribe in especially large amount by an employee of the RA Defense Ministry for the exemption of a citizen liable for military service from mandatory military service in the conditions of the absence of health problems incompatible with the service.

Thus.

Citizen R.K., having twice received the right to army respite from conscription for  mandatory military service, on 27 September 2020 in the conditions of the declared martial law in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh,  in order to pass without problems and the last - third medical examination in the winter of 2021, in order to be exempted from compulsory military service and be enrolled in the reserve as a result of registration of a falsified disease specified in the list of diseases established by the relevant decree of the RA Government, he turned to an acquaintance of his relative - an employee of the RA Ministry of Defense, Kh.D., who promised within the framework of his powers to resolve the mentioned issue, and for committing illegal actions demanded a bribe on an especially large scale 3000 USD - equivalent to 1.574.940 AMD.

After reaching an agreement on the bribe between the bribe giver and the bribe taker Kh.D. committed apparent illegal actions arising from his powers, as a result of which, in the conditions of martial law R.K. was released from the regular military call-up of compulsory military or alternative service in the absence of grounds for exemption from service established by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, after which, through the mediation of another person, he began to fulfill the promise to receive 3000 USD from the banks of the Republic of Armenia and transfer them to the official.

As a result of criminal procedural and operative-search measures taken during the preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated in connection with the incident in the Investigation Department of the RA NSS, on 20 April, 2021 at 11:30 p.m., after the transfer by R.K. through a third person to the official the subject of the bribe in the amount of 3000 USD, they were found and brought in to the territorial subdivision of the RA NSS.

As a result of large-scale investigative and procedural actions undertaken in the criminal case, searches carried out, the subject of the bribe-3000 USD was found, the identities of the persons related to the crime were established, who were brought in to the Syunik regional department of the RA NSS and detained, and as suspects gave confessionary statements during the interrogations.

Complex measures are being taken in the direction of finding out all the circumstances of the case, the full circle of persons who have committed the apparent crime, giving an adequate criminal-legal assessment to their actions.

The National Security Service informs that the modus operandi of detecting corruption manifestations in various spheres of public administration, their complete eradication will be continuous, in this regard more intolerant approach will be taken.

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.