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The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has uncovered several cases of abuse of power and bribe-taking by officers of some penitentiaries of the country’s Justice Ministry.

In a statement on Wednesday, the service said the head of the Armavir Penitentiary allowed an inmate to use a cell phone and move freely in the prison in exchange for construction materials worth 300,000 drams which he received through the convict’s family between May and July 2019. The officer also received building materials in bribes from another prisoner in exchange for the same privileges.

In another incident, officers of Artik Penitentiary failed to prevent breaches by inmates. On the contrary, instead of conducting searches in the cells of inmates, they received 20 mobile phones from them, presenting the cell phones as findings from prison cells in April-May this year.

Officers of the same correction facility also received 100.000 drams in bribes to allow smuggling of banned items, including psychotropic substances, into the jail.

In a third incident, correction officers of Vanadzor Penitentiary took bribes to smuggle banned items, including drugs, into the prison from September 2018 to June 2019.

The NSS Investigation Department has opened criminal cases under relevant articles of Armenia’s Criminal Code.

Preliminary probe is underway.