78 cases of electoral crimes were recorded. There are arrestees and detainees

In order to properly ensure the constitutional rights of citizens, the police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs consistently implements targeted operative-investigative and other necessary measures in order to prevent and detect possible electoral crimes during the pre-election phase of the regular national elections of the National Assembly.

Based on the comprehensive analysis of the information received as a result of the activities carried out by the MIA police, 78 crime reports were submitted, on the basis of which criminal proceedings were initiated.

In particular, 37 crime reports have already been submitted by the Criminal Police, 8 of which are related to materially interested in participating in the gathering, and 11 are related to the cases found as a result of the monitoring carried out on the Internet.
“Of them, 13 were cases of giving, receiving and soliciting election bribes, 3 were cases of violating the ban on charity during the election, 2 were cases of obstructing the free exercise of a person’s right to vote,” said Artur Barseghyan, head of the Internal Affairs Police’s Department of Internal Affairs.

In order to find out the actual circumstances of the mentioned criminal manifestations and to detect possible criminal signs, the Criminal Police in cooperation with partner law enforcement agencies conducted searches at a number of addresses. 24 persons were arrested and presented to the preliminary investigation body.

“9 were arrested, 7 were placed under house arrest, 3 were placed under administrative control, 4 were placed under truancy measures, 1 was handed over to educational supervision, and 2 persons were wanted,” said Artur Barseghyan, head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Police.

41 cases of election-related crime were recorded by the subordinate units of the National Election Commission. According to Karen Khachatryan, who performs the duties of the head of the National Election Commission, 36 of the recorded cases refer to obstructing the implementation of pre-election campaigning, 2 to giving or receiving electoral bribes, and 3 to coercing participation in gatherings through material interest.

20 persons were arrested and presented to the pre-investigation body as a result of operative-investigative measures undertaken by the community police.

“Among them, detention was used as a preventive measure, house arrest was applied to 7, absence prohibition was applied to 4. Disruption measures have not yet been applied in other criminal proceedings,” Karen Khachatryan, acting as the head of the Internal Affairs Police, presented.

The Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to carry out the functions assigned to it by the legislation and will use all the tools in order to ensure the normal course of the process during the pre-election period, as well as during the elections, to prevent and detect possible criminal manifestations.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia