NUMBER OF CRIMES GROWS CONSIDERABLY IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Aug 7, 2009
YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, NOYAN TAPAN. By data on the first half of 2009,
there was a considerable growth – by 71.3% or 2,851 cases in the number
of crimes in Armenia. Specifically, there was a growth in the number
of grave crimes (from 1,681 to 2,743) and particularly grave crimes
(87-129).
It was stated at the August 5 sitting of the RA Police Collegium
that this unprecedented growth was conditioned by the registration
of cases quashed under Article 183 of the RA Criminal Procedure Code
due to the absence of a complaint by aggrived persons and by the
registration of rejected cases, also by the fact that 2,091 crimes
committed in the previous years were disclosed and registered by the
police in the first half of 2009 (995 crimes in 6 months of 2008).
In the reporting period the number of crimes per 100 thousand residents
made 213 cases. The number of crimes was especially large in Yerevan
(316), Lori Marz (Province) (229), Shirak Marz (133) and Aragatsotn
Marz (134).
In the first half of 2009, 239 cases of illegal turnover of arms and
ammunition were recorded, which exceeded twofold the index of the
first half of 2008 – 122 cases. During the indicated period policemen
seized 274 fire-arms illegaly kept by citizens (136 in the 6 months of
2008), and 529 fire-arms were handed over thanks to explanatory work
(196 in the 6 months of 2008).
90 out of the persons who committed crimes were foreign citizens
(30 foreign citizens in the first half of 2008). Among aggrieved
persons there were 49 foreign citizens.
535 cases of illegal drug circulation were revealed in the first
half of 2009, which exceeded 2.4fold the index of the same period of
last year (226), while the number of drug traffic cases grew more
than twofold – 107 cases in the first 6 months of 2008, 228 in the
same period of 2009. 21 kg 693 grams of drugs were seized in the
reporting period.
8 cases of women’s involvement in prostitution and human trafficking
were revealed (5 cases in the first half of 2008). 358 crimes against
economic activity and 229 corruption crimes were revealed.
830 persons wanted by the police were detained in the first half of
2009 (810 in the 6 months of 2008).
The number of road accidents declined in the first half of 2009 –
for the first time in the past six years. 867 road accidents were
recorded in Armenia in the first 6 months of 2009 (909 accidents in
the first half of 2008), as a result of which 150 people died (174 in
6 months of 2008) and 1,218 were injured (1,337 in 6 months of 2008).
In the first half of 2009, 35 policemen were subjected to disciplinary
liability for bad conduct, 6 policemen were subjected to criminal
responsibility for committing various crimes. Disciplinary punishment
was imposed on 456 police employees, 20 of whom were dismissed.