In response to an enquiry by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, the NSS press department said on Monday that “the information raised in the enquiry constitutes a pre-investigation secret” and, therefore, cannot be published.
It referred to Article 8.1.3 of Armenia’s Law on Freedom of Information that says that “an information holder shall refuse to provide information if… it contains pre-investigation data not subject to publication.”
Still on November 15, the pro-opposition Hraparak daily reported that Davtian was charged as part of the “low-quality missiles” investigation, but investigators applied no measure of restraint in his relation.
The NSS reported in September that high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense had purchased low-quality missiles from a supplier company, causing about $4.7 million in damage to the state.
Among the former and current high-ranking army officials charged and arrested as part of this investigation are also former Defense Minister David Tonoyan and his purported close associate David Galstian, a well-known arms dealer better known by his nickname “Patron Davo.” Both men reject fraud and embezzlement charges brought against them.