The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia has granted the motions of the Prosecutor General’s Office to give consent to launching criminal prosecution against a candidate for Member of Parliament under a motion related to electoral bribe detected in Armavir Province and depriving the candidate of liberty. This is what Advisor to the Prosecutor General Gor Abrahamyan wrote on his Facebook page, adding the following:

“We had informed that the former mayor of the city of Armavir and a resident of Janfida village were caught while transferring AMD 9,000,000 as prima facie electoral bribe to voters to cast votes in favor of a bloc and were apprehended and detained.

The Prosecutor General’s Office had launched a criminal case. Taking into account the fact that the former mayor of Armavir was also included in the bloc’s list of candidates for Member of Parliament, the prosecutor overseeing lawfulness of the preliminary investigation of the case had applied to the Central Electoral Commission with motions to give consent to launching criminal prosecution and depriving the candidate of liberty.

During today’s session, the Commission gave its consent, and the Commission’s decisions have been forwarded to the body implementing proceedings. The other detained person has also been charged with a crime under the elements of the Criminal Code.

I don’t deem it needless to reiterate the call of the Prosecutor General’s Office that the Office will do everything possible to prevent any criminal act, and in case of revelation, it will reveal it. Therefore, candidates need to refrain from committing such acts of crime or making any attempt to exert pressure on the expression of free will of citizens.”