Former Head of Military Police Department Charged with Receiving a Bribe of 22,149,188 AMD

The Chief Military Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee has charged the former head of the military police department in Gyumri with receiving a particularly large bribe under Part 4 Article 311 of the RA Criminal Code, based on sufficient evidence obtained during the investigation of the ongoing criminal case.

During the pre-trial proceedings, it was established that Colonel M. Muradyan, serving as the head of the internal investigations and security department of the RA Ministry of Defense from June 20, 2011, until November 30, 2015, and subsequently as the head of the military police department in Gyumri starting November 30, 2015, engaged in illegal activities. In October 2014, after learning that a Russian citizen, E. Martirosov, was wanted by Russian law enforcement bodies under Articles 229.1, Part 3 and 228, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code for serious offences committed by his son, V. Martirosov, and aiming to escape criminal responsibility and punishment, M. Muradyan demanded and received a particularly large bribe totaling 22,149,188 AMD.

Specifically, as a public official obliged to take operational-investigative and procedural measures to uncover crimes and their perpetrators and to prevent and disrupt the crime, Muradyan reached an agreement with E. Martirosov to perform obvious illegal actions in favor of his son, V. Martirosov, which involved stamping V. Martirosov's exit from Armenia in his Russian passport and subsequently facilitating the issuance of an Armenian passport and military card for him in exchange for bribes. From February 11 to October 1, 2015, he received the bribe in installments through bank transfers amounting to a total of 22,149,188 AMD. Continuing his criminal intent, he neglected his official duties and failed to take appropriate action to ensure that V. Martirosov faced criminal responsibility. Moreover, between October 2014 and January 2016, he sheltered V. Martirosov in his private house, providing a room in an auxiliary building for his residence.

As a measure of restraint, M. Muradyan has been taken into custody.