Preliminary Investigation of Criminal Case Initiated Upon Disclosing State Secrets by High-Ranking Military Man Over
![Preliminary Investigation of Criminal Case Initiated Upon Disclosing State Secrets by High-Ranking Military Man Over](https://old.sns.am/cache/images/news/1/16251251333152/main_wm.jpeg)
In the context of a comprehensive, objective and complete investigation of the criminal case carried out in the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service, it was substantiated that the former head of the Military Control Service of the RA Ministry of Defense, due to his long-term service, being entitled to access to information containing state secrets in one of the public interviews on 19 November, 2020, disclosed top secret information in the military field, which is a state secret, provided for by the RA Government Decree No. 173 of 13.03.1998 "On the approval of the list of information classified as a state secret of the RA", revealing the directions of long-term forecasts of weapons and military equipment, disclosing development programs, as well as programs for the use of the armed forces, other troops and civil defense forces, operative programs, documents on combat control, to varying degrees of combat readiness.
In the conditions of accumulation of sufficient evidence obtained in the case, the former high-ranking military man was involved as an accused for having committed the alleged crime on the grounds of Article 306, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code and a measure of restraint was chosen against him.
On 29 June, 2021, the criminal case with the bill of indictment was sent to the prosecutor supervising the legality of the preliminary investigation for its approval and referral to court.
The RA National Security Service urges the persons being entitled to access to state secrets to strictly comply with the requirements of the RA Law "On State and Official Secrets", since they are protected by the state and their dissemination can lead to grave consequences for the security of the Republic of Armenia.
At the same time, it is informed that Article 306 of the RA Criminal Code provides for criminal liability for willful or negligently disclosing state secrets, and the aggravating part of the same article provides for a penalty of imprisonment for a term of three to seven years.
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.