Armenian citizen pleads guilty of engaging in espionage

PanARMENIAN.Net - General Prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepyan launched Friday court proceedings over the case of former Defense Ministry employee accused of high treason (particularly, espionage and illegal acquisition and maintenance of arms).

The inquest data found Armenian citizen, former Defense Ministry employee G. Hayrapetyan and Iranian citizen of Azeri decent B. Bageri guilty of crimes prescribed by Section 1, Article 299 of RA Criminal Code.



Hayrapetyan pleaded guilty during the trial, while Bageri didn't, General Prosecutor's office says in a release.

Considering the nature of the case, the court satisfied the Prosecutor's motion for conducting the hearings behind closed doors.



In April 2009, Hayrapetyan was recruited by Azerbaijani intelligence services. As it turned out later, he was engaged in collecting and providing them with confidential information about the fighting capacity of Armenia's armed forces.

He received his last task from B. Bageri on September 1, 2009. As watchword, the parties agreed to use the photo of Hayrapetyan's acquaintance.



Receiving Bageri in his apartment and getting from him an envelop containing notes on his next task, Hayrapetyan gave the latter all the materials that could be used for anti-Armenian propaganda. The materials were found by NSS employees on Karchevan checkpoint (Meghri). Law enforcers also found arms and armament in Hayrapetyan's house.