20 Officials Charged in Diligent National Park Logging Case

The coordinated and effective fight against the corruption mechanisms involving illegal logging and the officials responsible for forest protection is ongoing, as reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office. The purpose is to eliminate such corrupt practices and provide appropriate legal assessments of the actions of those committing such crimes, while also seeking to restore the damage caused.

As a result of investigations into multiple cases of illegal logging within the territory of the "Diligent National Park," charges have been brought against 20 officials endowed with the authority to protect the forest fund based on sufficient evidence of various corrupt abuses.

As previously reported, on April 18, 2017, a criminal case was initiated in the Prosecutor's Office of Tavush province based on the illegal logging incidents in the 6th forest sub-section of the "Haghartsin" area of the "Diligent National Park," under Article 296, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The preliminary investigation was entrusted to the main investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

During the preliminary investigation, activities conducted jointly by law enforcement bodies, including the police and the national security service, uncovered numerous other illegal logging incidents occurring in the "Diligent National Park" between 2016 and 2018, which resulted in additional criminal cases being initiated and connected to the aforementioned case.

It was determined through investigative actions and extensive operational-intelligence measures taken by the police and the national security service, under appropriate prosecutorial supervision, that these illegal logging activities occurred through the misconduct and negligence of the leadership personnel and forest keepers of the "Diligent National Park," failing to carry out their duties properly. Specifically, under conditions of illegal logging, false records were created for the acceptance and transfer of the respective forest fund sections, and efforts were made to conceal the illegal logging by not recording the stumps of the illegally cut trees.

In connection with the illegal logging carried out in the forest areas of the "Diligent National Park" and the aforementioned crimes against state service, a total of 20 individuals have been charged, including one deputy director of the forestry and two forest managers, as well as 17 forest keepers from various sections. They have all been accused of abusing official powers, committing official forgeries, and performing negligent acts.

It has been established that the state suffered damages amounting to approximately 1.6 billion drams due to these schematic corrupt criminal acts and illegal logging.

The preliminary investigation of the criminal case continues, and all necessary measures are being undertaken to restore the damages caused to the state.