Diasporan Armenian Charged with Tax Evasion Insists He is Being Persecuted

State Revenue Committee deputy chair Armen Alaverdyan’s statement was an insult to his family’s dignity, said founder of the Naregatsi Art Institutes in Yerevan and Shushi and GH Storage Enterprises LLC Director Nareg Hartounian (pictured), speaking to reporters in Yerevan today.

Recall, Alaverdyan had said that Hartounian’s work was “typical of Diasporan Armenians, which aims to view the homeland as a source of income and not pursue any charitable goals.” As previously reported, on Dec. 9, Hartounian was arrested on tax evasion charges. Within the course of a day, he was indicted, tried and found guilty without proper due process. He was later released, but made to pay 111 million drams (approx. $287,800 USD) — the amount of the taxes owed plus fines.

According to Hartounian, the criminal proceedings against him should concern not only his family, but also all those who are concerned about legal justice in Armenia.

“I urge all Diasporan Armenians to closely monitor our case. [I also] call [upon] those who hold posts and make wrongful decisions — examine your conscience and think whether your decisions are just or harmful,” he said.

In the opinion of Hartounian’s attorney, Hayk Alumyan, the criminal case against his client is full of violations. This, according to him, proves that some are trying to settle accounts with the Diasporan Armenian businessman.

“First, the two individuals who should’ve been held accountable, if taxes were really being evaded, were left out of the case. I’m referring to Artyom Martirosyan, who was director of the Hartounians’ company till Sept. 2010, and Sevak Arzaruni, who was given authorization from the Hartounians — both of whom signed contracts on behalf of the company. Moreover, during the case, they were testifying against Hartounian,” he said.

All this, according to Hartounian, proves that Sevak Arzaruni is in contact with the investigators.

“All the company’s accounts have been frozen. This is a strict violation of the law — the law says that the claim has to be ascertained. A possible seizure of property should be set and the freeze has to be placed according to this amount. But putting a hold on all the assets has frozen the company,” said Alumyan.

At the press conference, head of the Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists NGO Edik Baghdasaryan, as someone who is well informed of the case, opined that the most likely reason why the Hartounians are being persecuted is that certain state officials want to get their hands on the Diasporan Armenian family’s shares — which comprises $8–10 million — in the Yerevan Watch Factory.