Former Syunik Governor's Influence Leads to Misappropriation of 5 Million Dram Worth of Metal Pipes by Noravank Community Leader

From 2001 to November 2012, L.A., the head of the Noravank community in Syunik province, under the influence of the former Syunik governor S.K., granted metal pipes worth 5,132,891 drams to S.K.'s brother for free in 2012, as reported by the Armenian Prosecutor General's website.

In 2019, L.A. was involved as a defendant and was charged under the former Criminal Code Article 179, Part 3, Clause 1 (misappropriation on a particularly large scale). On December 26, 2019, the criminal case was sent from the Syunik provincial first-instance general jurisdiction court to the Anti-Corruption Court based on an appeal.

On November 22, 2022, the Anti-Corruption Court granted L.A.'s defense motion and suspended the criminal prosecution based on the unexcused expiration of the statute of limitations. Considering that the community has not been reimbursed the amount of 5,132,891 drams, the Prosecutor General's Office has submitted a request to the Syunik governor and the head of the Sisian community to take necessary measures to restore the damage caused to the community.

On December 23, 2022, a letter from the Syunik governor was received at the Prosecutor General's Office, indicating that the Syunik governor's office is monitoring the process of restoring the damage caused to the former Noravank community in Syunik province (the Sisian multi-population community has been offered to take effective measures to restore the damage caused to the community in the shortest possible time).