Former Armenian mayor charged with abuse of office

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has completed an investigation into allegations a former Ijevan mayor, identified as V. Gh., unlawfully disposed of municipal land at a fraction of its value.

Investigators say the former official abused his position by authorizing the sale of a 1,285 sq m plot, public property that was not eligible for free allocation or direct sale, to a local resident at just 30% of its cadastral value. He also allegedly approved that same resident’s ownership rights over an additional 1,385 sq m of land in violation of legal procedures.

Based on a power of attorney issued by the community head, a sales contract was signed and the buyer subsequently registered as the legal owner of the property. According to the agency, the deal caused significant damage to the interests of both the community and the public.

The former mayor has been charged under Article 308(1) of Armenia’s former Criminal Code, corresponding to Article 441(1) of the code adopted in July 2022. The investigation has been completed and the indictment has been sent to the Anti-Corruption Court for trial.