Opinion on reforms in the National Security Service

From January 1, 2024, the Investigation Department of the National Security Service of Armenia ceased its activity and its functions were transferred to the Investigative Committee.

It is this structure that will now deal with crimes that threaten the security of the state and society, including cases of treason, preparation and financing of terrorism.

According to lawyer Gevorg Davtyan, this decision may have a positive effect “if its goal is to reduce dependence on other countries, particularly Russia.” He believes that Armenia’s national security can be ensured only if “all the threads linking it to Russia are cut at once”.

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As part of this change, 47 positions of the Investigative Department of the NSC were transferred to the Investigative Committee. 39 of them are positions of investigators. However, only 17 of them expressed a desire to continue working outside the National Security Service.

A new department has already been formed in the Investigative Committee called “Main Department for Investigation of Crimes Threatening the Foundations of the Constitutional Order of the State and Public Security”.

According to Gevorg Baghdasaryan, advisor to the IC chairman, the department will conduct preliminary investigations into a significant number of crimes against public security, including terrorism, treason, espionage and usurpation of state power:

“The functions of the department include investigation of crimes against the order of governance, which are related to the security of the state, as well as the state border, such as illegal migration or illegal crossing of the state border.”

According to lawyer Gevorg Davtyan, nothing changes from the legal point of view, but technical changes have been made – the functions of the Investigation Department of the National Security Service are transferred to the Investigation Committee.

The National Security Service of Armenia is inherited from the USSR. In addition, its employees were educated in Russia, and in most cases they were hired only after compulsory training in the Russian Federation. He emphasizes that this was direct dependence on Russia.

“A certain element of independence seems to be emerging. The Republic of Armenia is trying to become legally fully independent and have a body that will never have any connection with another country, in this case the Russian Federation,” says Gevorg Davtyan.

The purpose of the change, in his opinion, is that from now on the Investigative Committee will perform the functions of the NSS with full rights. That is, it would act without outside influence, only under Armenia’s control, particularly in the investigation of crimes that threaten the security of the state.

“It is no coincidence that after the 44-day war in 2020, many people were charged with acts concerning crimes threatening exactly national security: sabotage, treason, agent activity, etc.”

According to the lawyer, there were also criminal cases when an employee of the National Security Service was charged with committing such crimes, and he “found protection in Russia.”

The lawyer is generally optimistic about the ongoing reforms and hopes that the changes will be qualitative:

“The legal prerequisites have been created, and the content suggests that specialists will be guided solely by the interests of national security.”