On the basis of sufficient data obtained during the preliminary investigation of a criminal case conducted within the Investigative Department of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, criminal cases were initiated in March and April 2020 regarding the apparently publicly dangerous acts committed by Mikayel Ara Minasyan, former ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Holy See.
On the basis of a sufficient combination of evidence obtained during the preliminary investigation, it was decided to charge Mikayel Ara Minasyan under Part 1 of Article 310.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (illegal enrichment), Part 2 of Article 314.3 (concealing data of particularly large amounts subject to declaration) and Point 1 of Part 3 of Article 190 (legalizing property obtained by criminal means in particularly large amounts).
The preliminary investigation of the criminal case established that M. Minasyan, being a person obliged to submit a declaration as defined by the RA law “On Public Service,” during the reporting period of 2017-2018 increased his property by a large amount of financial resources, which significantly exceeded his legal income and was not reasonably justified by them, that is, he illegally enriched himself. In addition, for the same reporting periods, in the declarations submitted to the Ethics Commission of High-Ranking Officials, he concealed and failed to declare data on property of particularly large amounts subject to declaration, and also legalized property of particularly large amounts obtained by criminal means.
On 23 March 2020, a decision was made to declare M. Minasyan wanted, and on the same day a motion was submitted to the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan to apply arrest as a preventive measure against the accused M. Minasyan.
The preliminary investigation of the criminal case continues, aimed at uncovering other possibly committed publicly dangerous acts by M. Minasyan and determining the full circle of persons involved in them.
At the same time, the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, always demonstrating restraint in the public dissemination of information regarding the preliminary investigation and strictly maintaining the boundaries of investigative secrecy, has urged refraining from giving unfounded and unsubstantiated assessments of the ongoing investigative and procedural actions.
