The subdivisions of the General Department for the Investigation of Economic Crimes and Smuggling of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia continue to apply strict criminal procedural measures in proceedings initiated in relation to alleged crimes against economic activity.
Unlike other cases, especially in the investigation of alleged tax evasion offenses, arrests are carried out hastily, criminal prosecutions are initiated, motions are filed to detain the accused, and companies’ assets and bank accounts are frozen. In such cases, the only legal means to protect oneself against the lawful actions of the investigative body is the exercise of the right to judicial protection.
Recently, the Prosecutor’s Office made a decision to initiate a public criminal prosecution against the director of one of Armenia’s largest taxpayer companies (in connection with an alleged case of particularly large-scale tax evasion). A decision was also made by the subdivision of the General Department for the Investigation of Economic Crimes and Smuggling of the Investigative Committee of the RA to detain the accused, and a motion was submitted to the court to impose detention as a preventive measure.
After reviewing the motion, the Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction of First Instance of Yerevan, Republic of Armenia, rejected the request to detain the accused, applying house arrest and bail as preventive measures instead.
An independent and fair judiciary is the highest guarantee of the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in a legal state. Although the legal community often faces many difficulties, obstacles, and illegalities in the pursuit of justice, the establishment of the Republic of Armenia as a legal state is an inevitable and irreversible process. The primary beneficiaries of this are not only the individual and the citizen, but also the state itself.
We express our gratitude to the representatives of the judiciary who administer justice and prove their objectivity, independence, and fairness through their judicial acts.