Criminal Case Initiated Over Soil Damage and Illegal Extraction in Lchashen

The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia's Department for the Protection of State Interests continues to study the results of monitoring conducted by state bodies within their mandates. In this context, documents and information from the environmental and mining inspection authority regarding the extraction of fertile soil in the administrative territory of Lchashen community, Gegharkunik region were also examined.

The investigation revealed that during a visit by workers of the Gegharkunik territorial division of the inspection authority, instances of soil violations were found in the mentioned community near the road leading to Sarateghi, where approximately 12,954 square meters of land had been impacted, and 11,271 cubic meters of fertile soil had been extracted by unknown individuals.

According to calculations based on the Armenian government's decision of January 25, 2005, confirming the procedure for assessing the impact of economic activities on land resources, it was determined that the recorded violations have caused significant damage amounting to approximately 2 million drams due to land degradation (damage and destruction of the fertile soil layer).

Considering that the investigation obtained data indicating violations of rules regarding the extraction, transportation, storage, and use of soil in the administrative territory of Lchashen, as well as characteristics of criminal acts causing significant harm to the environment intentionally or negligently, a criminal case has been initiated under Part 1 of Article 290 of the Armenian Criminal Code at the Prosecutor General's Office. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case has been entrusted to the Investigative Committee of Armenia.