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YEREVAN(Combined Sources)— The Armenian National Security Service has arrested a retired military officer on charges of spying for Azerbaijan.

The Security Service said on December 9 that retired Major Garik Marutian, 38-year-old Armavir resident, is suspected of passing classified information to Azerbaijani secret service agents during his tenure as an intelligence officer in Armenia’s armed forces.

According to National Security Service press release, Marutian “contacted Azerbaijani special services based in Turkey through social media and handed them over data including state secrets for certain remuneration”.

Marutian faces a charge of high treason and could be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail if found guilty.

The officer, arrested on charge of high treason brought by the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, has not been serving in the Armenian Armed Forces for more than a year. Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan said the aforementioned during his conversation with journalists.

“Armenpress” reports that Ohanyan said that the officer had been incompetent during duty and was discharged according to his own will, adding that corresponding activities were being conducted. He emphasized that more precise information could be provided by the National Security Service.

As a result of the operative-investigative measures carried out by the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, and the processing of the received operative data, citizen of the Republic of Armenia, resident of Armavir region, Depot Batallion Major Garik Khachik Marutyan born in 1977, was arrested on December 4, 2015.