An espionage and treason lawyer in Armenia defends people in cases on crimes against state security. The National Security Service (NSS) investigates these cases. They include treason, espionage, disclosure of state secrets and other crimes against the state. The penalties are among the most severe in the Criminal Code. A case often starts with a short phone call or an early morning search.
How an NSS case starts
- a call to come in for a talk;
- a search of the home or the workplace, often early in the morning;
- seizure of phones, laptops and storage devices;
- a summons as a witness that later turns into a suspect status;
- an arrest right after the search.
Typical facts behind such cases: contacts with foreign citizens or foreign services, photos or videos of military sites, messages about army positions, access to secret documents at work, money transfers from abroad.
What to do now
- Say that you want your advocate before you answer questions.
- Use the right to remain silent until the advocate arrives.
- Do not unlock your phone or give passwords before you speak with the advocate.
- Do not sign a statement as a witness when the questions are about your own acts. You have the right not to testify against yourself.
- Do not discuss the case on the phone or in messengers.
- Do not delete messages, files or accounts. This can harm the defense.
If officers are at the door now, read police search. If you have a summons, read questioning.
Classified materials
Part of the case file can be a state secret. Access to such materials follows special rules, and the advocate must keep them confidential. The defense still has the right to know the charge and the evidence against the accused. The advocate checks whether the information was in fact a state secret, who classified it and when, whether the client had access to it and whether it was already public. These facts matter for the charge itself.
Closed hearings
A court can close a hearing, in whole or in part, to protect state secrets. The public and the press cannot attend. The defense keeps all its rights in a closed hearing: to question witnesses, to challenge evidence, to file motions and to appeal. The judgment can be appealed to the Criminal Court of Appeal and then to the Court of Cassation. See appeals.
The right to a lawyer of your choice
From the moment of arrest a person has the right to a lawyer of his choice. A secret case does not take away this right. A family can invite an advocate for a detained relative. A person who already has an appointed lawyer can still invite his own advocate. Ask for your advocate by name and write this request in the record.
Detention in security cases
Within 72 hours the arrested person must be released or brought before a court. Only a court can order detention. The prosecution often relies on the gravity of the charge. The defense answers with facts about the person: a stable address, family, work, health and conduct during the investigation. A court can choose bail or another non-custodial measure instead of detention.
How espionage and treason lawyer Mnatsakan Marukyan helps
Advocate Marukyan is a criminal defense lawyer in Yerevan and a member of the Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia. He works in Armenian, Russian and English.
- He comes to the NSS, the police station or the court at any hour.
- He takes part in the search, in each interview and in each hearing.
- He checks the lawfulness of the search, the seizure of phones and the examination of their contents.
- He checks the secret status of the information and the client’s real access to it.
- He argues against detention and asks for bail or another measure.
- He defends at trial, including closed hearings, and on appeal up to the Court of Cassation.
- He keeps everything the client tells him confidential.
The first consultation is free. Call +374 91 403961, or write on WhatsApp or Telegram. Advocate Marukyan is available 24/7 for arrests and searches.