RA Police provided information on distinctive marks of police subdivisions

On September 13, 2017 HCA Vanadzor submitted an inquiry to Vl. Gasparyan, Chief of RA Police.

We expected to get information on the number of RA Police officers, including information by structural subdivisions, their functions and distinctive marks of individual subdivisions.

In his reply of September 23, 2017, A. Margaryan, Head of the Legal Department of the RA Police, provided information only on the latter question of the inquiry and as for the other ones, he mentioned that such information was considered confidential by RA Government decrees and he might not provide any information. He also added that the Concept for RA Police Development in 2017-2022, currently under development, will cover a suggestion on declassifying such information.

On October 23, 2017 HCA Vanadzor filed a claim with the RA Administrative Court demanding to compel the RA Police to provide information on that part as well.

The claim was supported by the fact that in a democratic state like Republic of Armenia, such information might not be kept secret. Keeping it secret leaves an essential and extensive sector of public government bodies beyond the civil oversight and this is incompatible with the fundamental principles in place in a legal and democratic society and does not arise from the RA Constitution and international commitments ratified by the RA.

Below are the distinctive marks by subdivisions, as provided by the RA Police.