Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Based on the report by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, on December 9, 2019, a criminal case was initiated in RA Police Vanadzor city Taron division on the fact of depriving earthquake-affected 6 families from Vahagni of their right to have an apartment.

On November 12, 2019, HCA Vanadzor made a report based on Azatutyun Radio Station publication “Cabin houses of nearly 30 families affected by 1988 disaster changed into stone residential houses in documents”.

Azatutyun touches upon the issue 

Human rights defender Artur Sakunts, who has reported to the Prosecutor’s Office, finds it essential to find out whether the state has separated a great amount of money under the names of the owners of cabin houses that changed into stone houses according to the documents and again made fake documents stating that houses were built for them or a compensation was given for the houses. 

“The reasons why people were left without apartments for years on end should be discovered. And this is directly related to systemic corruption, one of the manifestations of which is the embezzlement of finances envisaged for apartment constructions on the disaster area”, says Sakunts. 

“The fact that the Government allocated finances for the construction of apartments does not mean that there should be no consequences or examination of finances allocated previously. Our purpose is to determine the fate of the allocated money, to discover those responsible for them and to bring that money back into the state budget”, the human rights defender highlighted.