Three municipal employees in Gyumri have been detained amid an investigation into allegations of obstructing justice and manipulating protests.
Three employees of the Gyumri municipality have been arrested, according to the Investigative Committee.
During a preliminary investigation launched by the Shirak regional division of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, evidence emerged suggesting that certain officials at the Gyumri City Hall instructed several employees to order kindergarten directors to suspend educational activities, send children home, and proceed with their staff to the municipality to obstruct the arrest of the community leader.
Following these instructions, many kindergarten heads halted operations and, along with their staff, gathered near the City Hall to join assembled citizens.
As part of the investigation, four individuals are facing public criminal prosecution under Article 236, Part 2 of Armenia’s Criminal Code (coercing or hindering participation in a gathering, or offering material incentives to participate or abstain), and Article 46-486, Part 2, Clause 1 (inciting obstruction of justice or investigation by a group acting in prior agreement).
This criminal case has been merged with a separate proceeding involving participation in mass unrest, interference with judicial processes by a coordinated group, and obstruction of the legal duties of a public official.
The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
According to the Anti-Corruption Committee, several officials from the Gyumri municipality have been accused of giving and receiving large-scale bribes, leading to the arrest of eight individuals, including the mayor and the chief architect.
