Requests to Relieve Military Personnel from Criminal Responsibility Due to Genuine Regret Are Mainly Rejected

The Prosecutor's Office has adopted a strict punitive policy regarding criminal proceedings related to corruption offenses. According to a report by Armenpress, this was stated by the Chief Prosecutor Anna Vardapetyan during an official meeting dedicated to the 106th anniversary of the RA Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor's Day, discussing the fight against corruption.

According to the Chief Prosecutor, in this context, a decision to relieve a person from criminal responsibility based on genuine regret for corruption offenses is made exclusively in cases where the individual has committed an offense for the first time, has expressed regret for their actions, has cooperated with the investigating body, and has compensated for the damage caused directly to the state or community as a result of the crime.

This approach aims to alleviate the burden on the courts and promote further lawful behavior among those who have committed offenses. The request to be relieved from criminal responsibility based on genuine regret is typically rejected if the person who committed the offense has held a military position or has ever committed a corruption crime or a crime with high latency, such as bribery or electoral bribery, money laundering, and so on. The Prosecutor's Office is consistent in ensuring that individuals who commit corruption offenses are subjected to fair criminal responsibility, punishment, or other legal measures,” Vardapetyan noted.

In this context, the Chief Prosecutor emphasized that the Prosecutor's Office is persistent in applying penalties that deprive individuals found guilty of corruption offenses of the right to hold certain positions or engage in specific activities.

“During the investigation of corruption offenses, prosecutors also focus on uncovering the circumstances that facilitate the commission of crimes and addressing the consequences of those crimes through addressing competent authorities. To this end, various departments are sent procedural letters by supervising prosecutors, based on which the scope of current supervisory powers is reviewed, new legal regulations are implemented, and public servants who have neglected their official duties are subjected to disciplinary liability,” Vardapetyan concluded.