Group of citizens demands resignation of Armenia's Investigative Committee Chairman Arthur Poghosyan

A group of citizens affected by cybercrimes and financial fraud held a protest outside the Investigative Committee (IC) of Armenia, demanding the resignation of its chairman, Arthur Poghosyan. During the protest, participants chanted "Shame". According to Mger Karagezyan, the chairman of the public organization "Public Control", the latest data indicates that an additional 30 million drams were stolen from citizens, on top of the previous 670 million drams. However, representatives of the relevant authorities justify their inaction by stating that since the perpetrators are in Armenia and the victims are from other countries, the real victims are primarily foreigners affected by fraudulent activities. "Why are these investigators here? They should resign. They simply lack political will. All these issues should be handled by the chairman of the IC, Arthur Poghosyan," stated Karagezyan. He mentioned that they previously presented international mechanisms to seven government bodies in Armenia that are used in such cases. In particular, they proposed the creation of a state fund to restore the rights of citizens affected by cybercrimes. "But we received no response. The state has no immunity against cybercrime. Their inaction has essentially led to the creation of an environment where cybercrime thrives and is even encouraged, making the victim feel guilty for being subjected to a cyberattack," Karagezyan emphasized. He noted that there has not been a single case where the rights of a citizen affected by cyber fraud were restored, even if someone was recognized as a victim. It should be noted that a similar protest took place on July 1 in front of the Armenian government building. Participants aimed to draw the attention of law enforcement to fraud committed by an investment organization.