Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan charged over apartment allocation

Armenia’s Investigative Committee has completed its preliminary investigation into allegations that former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan abused his official powers by intervening in the allocation of an apartment to a Defense Ministry official in 2008, while he was in office.

Prosecutors allege that Ohanyan used his position to help an acquaintance get a three-room apartment in Yerevan ahead of people who had been on the ministry’s waiting list for military personnel housing.

According to the Investigative Committee, the investigation found apparent evidence that Ohanyan, while serving as defense minister, exceeded his official powers with the assistance of members of the Defense Ministry’s Central Housing Commission.

In July 2008, a Defense Ministry department head, identified as M.I., applied for an apartment for his family and was included on the housing list for servicemen in need of improved housing. On July 17, M.I. also appealed directly to Ohanyan, asking for an apartment in Yerevan on a priority basis.

Although decisions on registering servicemen for housing and allocating apartments were exclusively within the authority of the housing commission, Ohanyan allegedly instructed the commission to provide M.I. with an apartment on a priority basis because of their personal relationship.

At a commission meeting on August 11, 2008, M.I. was added to the housing list and, at the same meeting, the commission voted to allocate him a three-room apartment in Yerevan on a priority basis.

Investigators said this deprived servicemen who genuinely needed housing and had been waiting for years of their legally guaranteed opportunity to receive apartments.

The supervising prosecutor has initiated public criminal prosecution against Ohanyan under Article 441(1) of Armenia’s Criminal Code, which concerns an official abusing or exceeding their powers.

The case has been sent to the supervising prosecutor with an indictment and a request for approval and referral to court.