Artur Vanetsyan - an Armenian politician, served as the director of the National Security Service of Armenia. From September 2018 to November 21, 2019, Vanetsyan held the position of the president of the Football Federation of Armenia.

He was born on December 8, 1979, in Yerevan. In 1995, graduated from Secondary School No.2 in Yerevan. Between 1997 and 1999, Vanetsyan served in the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Vanetsyan graduated from the Armenian Agricultural Academy in 1999, and later, in 2003, completed his extramural studies at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Foreign Economic Relations, Economics and Law.

He also graduated with honors from the Academy of the Federal Security Service of Russia.

Professional Background

In December 2000, Artur Vanetsyan began his career at the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia as a junior criminal investigator. In 2002, he underwent retraining at the Federal Security Service of Russia. In 2015, by decree of the President of Armenia, Vanetsyan was awarded the Medal for Combat Service. He was also repeatedly promoted by the leadership of the National Security Service and the Ministry of Defense.

Between 2016 and 2018, Vanetsyan served as Deputy Head of the Yerevan Department of the National Security Service.

On May 10, 2018, upon the recommendation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and by decree of the President of Armenia, he was appointed Director of the National Security Service. On September 16, 2019, at the request of the Prime Minister, Vanetsyan was placed on the retired list.

On September 22, 2018, Artur Vanetsyan, was elected president of the Football Federation of Armenia as the only candidate.

Starting November 10, 2020, Vanetsyan actively participated in public protests demanding the resignation of the Armenian Prime Minister over the signing of the ceasefire agreement in Karabakh. On November 14, lawyer Lusine Sahakyan announced that Vanetsyan had been detained on suspicion of plotting an assassination attempt against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Artur Vanetsyan is one of the leaders of the I Have Honor Alliance. In the extraordinary parliamentary elections held on June 20, 2021, the alliance received 5.23% of the vote, according to the Central Electoral Commission.

On February 17, 2022, Vanetsyan delivered a live address to the public, calling on citizens to gather in Liberty Square and protest against the Armenian authorities’ position on the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.