YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, NOYAN TAPAN. In order to efficiently fight against corruption, the law enforcement bodies first of all should not tolerate corruption within themselves, the RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian stated at the August 2 cluster consultation "The Peculiarities of Prevention, Disclosure and Investigation of Corruption Crimes" held in Yeghegnadzor. "The society should feel that the actions and cooperation of law enforcement bodies give real and desirable results," he said, attaching special importance to the role of the mass media in the fight against corruption. Law enforcers of Armenia's southern marzes (regions) took part in the August 2 cluster consultation. The head of the RA Special Investigation Service Andranik Mirzoyan said that in the first half of 2008 the Service investigated 29 criminal cases of corruption nature, including 12 cases under Article 308 (abuse of official authority), 6 cases under Article 309 (exceeding official authority), 6 cases under Article 311 (taking bribes), as well as cases under the following articles: Article 179 (squandering or embezzlement), Article 214 (abuse of authority by employees of commercial and other organization), Article 215 (contraband), Article 314 (official forgery), and Article 349 (forgery of evidence). Out of 29 criminal cases, 13 ones with a conclusion of "guilty" with respect to 19 persons were sent to court. According to A. Mirzoyan, among the most noteworthy cases are the case on demanding and receiving a 1,500-dollar bribe from Gurgen Nasibian by investigator of the investigation unit of N garrison of the the RA defence ministry's investigation department Arthur Baghinian for not subjecting the former's brother to criminal responsibility, as well as the criminal case which was opened on the fact of receiving a 1,000-dollar bribe from citizens Torgom Hambartsumian and Tigran Tadevosian by the head of the Bagratashen customs shift for permission to import 4,100 kg of tangerines without customs clearance. The head of the RA Special Investigation Service said that 3 criminal cases were quashed - with acquittals, and 7 criminal cases remained incompleted. 17 cases on corruption were opened in Lori marz, 4 - in Shirak marz, 4 cases - in Tavush marz, and no case was opened, for example, in Ararat marz, to which the RA prosecutor general drew attention of those present. He said that during investigation of corruption cases, there have been cases when the persons who had made a statement about corruption later renounced their evidence, saying that they gave false evidence due to a bribe or influence.

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