Who was behind demonstration against hydro-electric plant?

In a further development to the story connected to the construction of a hydro-electric power plant on the Argitch River, Mayor Rubik Ghukasyan of the village of Verin Getashen has called on 15 residents to appear before the local prosecutor to provide testimony. »»»»»

Police reports summing up crime figures in Aragatzotn Marz don’t paint an encouraging picture. During the first six months of 2010, 235 crimes have been registered as compared with last year.

While serious crimes have dropped by some 25% over last year, the number of medium crimes has risen to 45 this year during the period in question. Last year, the figure was 45. The theft of livestock has also risen and three gangs of rustlers have been brought to justice. The gangs not only operated in Aragatzotn but in neighboring regions as well. »»»»»

The RoA Ministry of Defense reports today that several arrests have been made in the suicide case of Lieutenant Artak Nazaryan.

According to the MoD’s official statement, Captain Hakob Manukyan, serving at the same #21127 military base has been arrested on charges of overstepping his authority and beating and maligning the personal character of Artak Nazaryan. Several rank and file soldiers have also been taken into custody for assaulting and malignin Nazaryan. They are Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, Adibek Hovhannisyan and Hautik Kirakosyan.

Attempted assassination tied to labor unrest?

On 26 July a hand grenade was found attached to the undercarriage of a company car belonging to Deno Gold Mining Company’s Financial Director Ara Markosyan. The car was parked in the lot next to the company’s headquarters in Kapan, a town in southern Armenia.

Labor unrest has recently broken out at the company and a number of periodic work stoppages have crippled the company’s operation. Workers have been protesting lay-offs and other job cuts. »»»»»

According to a RoA Police Department report, there were two murders registered in the country from June 27 to July 27. One of the murder cases was solved by law enforcement. Two attempted murders were reported and both were solved. This compares with 12 murders and three attempted murders during the same period in 2009. »»»»»

Criminal case initiated on deliberate bankruptcy, forgery of documents and abuse of authority

The State Interests Protection Department of the RA General Prosecutor’s Office has initiated a criminal case on deliberate bankruptcy, forgery of documents and abuse of authority by the employee of an organization. »»»»»

Statement made by a number of NGOs on the overcrowding of the penitentiary institutions and their call upon the Armenian authorities

During the last years increase of the number of the people deprived of liberty was observed; during the last one year the number of the people deprived of liberty was increased by more than 20%. Penitentiary Institutions are overcrowded. »»»»»

The criminal defamation case that had been brought against the newspaper “Azatamtutyun” by Heritage Party MP Zaruhie Postanjyan, has been dropped by the courts since the charge has been decriminalized.

MP Postanjyan told Hetq that she would probably pursue the matter in the civil courts. The paper in question has since closed.

At 7 this morning, a municipal work crew cleaning a section of the “Green Ring” park that circles parts of downtown Yerevan discovered two types of  mines in a trash bin.

A police investigation into the matter is underway.

During the first six months of 2010, the RoA Police reported 57 cases of bribery and 73 cases of abuse of official powers.

During the same period in 2009, 30 cases of bribery and 63 cases of abuse of powers had been registered.

A special investigative unit has completed its preliminary investigation into the criminal case with charges of assaulting an officer and hooliganism.  The investigation established that the case with these charges should proceed.

According to the press service of the Office of the Prosecutor General, the preliminary investigation established that on 31 May at around 6 pm, Davit Kiramijyan got into an argument with a passer-by, V. Tadevosyan, in the vicinity of Martirosyan Saryan’s statue.  »»»»»

The RoA Police report that so far this year there have been 27 cases where state official have been physically assaulted.

This compares to 47 such cases in the same period in 2009.

According to newly released RoA Police statistics, there were 55 cases of bribery registered in the country from January 1 to June 17 and 70 cases of official misuse of power.

This compares to 30 bribery and 63 misuse of power cases registered during the same period in 2009.

Spanish police have detained six suspected mafia bosses from Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in a police operation in the northeastern Spanish province of Catalonia, local newspaper El Pais reported.

The names of the suspected “thieves-in-law” were not released. Their homes and offices of companies linked to them were searched by police officers, who said the suspects might have been part of a money-laundering racket in which they invested money obtained from criminal activities in the hotel and restaurant business in Spain. »»»»»