As a result of large-scale operative-search measures and investigative actions carried out by the officers of the Shirak Regional Department and the Investigation Department of the RA NSS in the format of cooperation, a sufficient body of evidence was obtained, according to which some medical workers of the polyclinic subordinated to the Shirak Municipality of the Gyumri Family Medical Center named after V. Abajyan CJSC, those providing medical care and services in the field of healthcare, based on mercenary interest, used their official position against the interests of the service, namely, for the period, from April 2021 to the present, did not vaccinate more than 700 citizens with the established types and doses, documented in the same medical institution and residing both in the Shirak province and in other territories of the Republic of Armenia, in return, they compiled and approved certificates that do not correspond to reality, confirming the full vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which they entered into the unified electronic healthcare system "ArMed".

As a result of these illegal actions the mentioned citizens were given the opportunity to bypass the restrictions applied within the framework of anti-epidemiological measures in the Republic of Armenia and foreign states, the mandatory requirements of the sanitary rules established by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia were not observed, the requirements established by the relevant preventive and anti-epidemiological measures were not properly ensured in order to preserve the health and improve the health of the population, the state-guaranteed rights to protect the rights of others from the pandemic were jeopardized, thus causing significant damage to both the mentioned healthcare organization and the legitimate interests of the state.

At the same time, during the preliminary investigation in the criminal case, it was established that the employees providing medical care, received a bribe in the amount of 5.000-10.000 AMD from each citizen for the mentioned apparent illegal actions, and the vaccines were destroyed. 

During the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, more than a dozen searches were carried out, sums given by citizens as a bribe were found and seized, lists were obtained containing the data of those persons who received fake certificates without actual vaccination.

According to a sufficient body of evidence obtained in the criminal case, by the investigators of the investigation group, based on a direct suspicion, 6 employees of the same medical institution were detained, who gave confessionary statements, providing information both about the criminal mechanism used, and about the amounts received as a bribe, and the persons receiving fake certificates.

In the context of the movement of the current stage of criminal proceedings, criminal procedural and operative-search measures are actively being taken in the direction of identifying all citizens who received fake certificates confirming the fact of vaccination, initiating criminal prosecution against them, identifying the full range of persons who have shown illegal behavior, and the role of everyone in the criminal mechanism, as well as applying strict measures of responsibility to them.

The RA National Security Service, taking into account the degree of danger of the mentioned crimes, which are of a continuous and spreading nature, noting the importance of the priority of protecting the health of the population, strictly warns the heads and employees of organizations providing medical assistance and services that the National Security Bodies, using the maximum toolkit, are carrying out large-scale measures in the direction of detecting cases of falsification of vaccinations made both earlier and of a continuous nature in the present, and initiating criminal prosecution against the perpetrators.

At the same time, it calls on citizens to refrain from illegal actions aimed at obtaining fake vaccination certificates, since such not only pose a threat to public health, but also, according to the RA Criminal Code, are criminal offenses and will lead to severely adverse legal consequences.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.