Barsoumian: Another Set of Deaths Shake Army

Five deaths were reported in the Armenian Army last week. On Nov. 18, serviceman Robert Avetisyan died from gunshot wounds in the Jambarak military unit of Gegharkunik region. His body was transported to Yerevan for a forensic examination. Avetisyan would have celebrated his 23^rd birthday in December.

The following day, on Nov. 19, four servicemen were reportedly killed at about midnight in one of Karabagh’s southern military outposts. According to a statement by the Karabagh Defense Army, four soldiers were killed and four others wounded as a result of a “firearm related incident.”

The names of the killed soldiers have been released. They are: Levon Yessayan (b. 1991), Nerses Kaloyan (b. 1990), Nareg Sahagyan (b. 1990), and Nver Sargsyan (b. 1991). The four injured servicemen are: Sargis Melkumyan (b. 1991), Khatchig Alexanyan (b. 1992), Masis Grigoryan (b. 1991), and Manvel Hazroyan (b. 1991).

According to a source from the Defense Ministry’s Investigative Services, one arrest has been made in relation to the four deaths. The arrested individual belongs to the same unit the four servicemen belonged to. The identity of the arrested serviceman has not been publicized, reports RFE/RL.

According to that same source, arrests were also made in connection with Avetisyan’s death. Two men are currently in custody. Their identities are yet to be publicized.

No official press releases on these deaths could be found on the Defense Ministry’s website.

Lawsuit against defense minister

Meanwhile, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly of Vanadzor (HCAV), a human rights organization, has filed a lawsuit against Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.

According to Artak Zeynalyan, who is representing HCAV, the lawsuit was filed due to the ministry’s failure to disclose information regarding the number of army deaths in 2009. The defense minister reportedly refused to give the information, calling it “confidential” material.

“My client appealed to the court,” said Zeynalyan, “for the court to recognize that the right to information was violated and acknowledge the section of that order to be invalid and mandate [the Defense Ministry] to provide this information.”

The Administrative Court of Armenia is expected to announce its verdict on the case on Nov. 23.

During a recent forum organized by the Civilitas Foundation on “The Army and Society,” Artur Sakunts, head of HCAV, noted that only 10 out of the 34 cases of army deaths were first publicized by the Ministry of Defense.

“We highlighted the remaining 24 cases, after which the Defense Ministry only responded… And how many cases are there that we don’t know of, and I’m not even talking about incidents of violence,” he was quoted as saying.

In recent months, the Defense Ministry has faced criticism for abuses and deaths in the army. On Oct. 3, Samvel Khatchadryan, a conscript in the army, was discovered in a “hanged state” at the N military outpost. Following investigations, the DM stated that a group of soldiers had broken accepted rules of conduct, and had physically and verbally abused Khachatryan. Seven men have been arrested in connection with Khatchadryan’s death.

A YouTube clip that surfaced in September shows two soldiers being abused at the hands of their superior. The abuser was later identified as Major Sasun Kalsdyan at the N military outpost.

Only a month later, serviceman Erik Grigoryan was hospitalized due to beatings at the hands of Lieutenant Armen Pareghamyan. Apparently Grigoryan had failed to wake up on time on the morning of Oct. 28. Pareghamyan, who had been accused of beating another soldier, Pakrad Yeghishyan, months earlier, is currently under arrest.

Within a month, between July and August, eight army officers were shot dead in three separate incidents. One involved the death of contract soldier Artak Nazaryan; authorities claim it was a suicide, while his family insists it was murder.

Following these incidents, the Defense Ministry has dismissed, demoted, reprimanded, or arrested dozens of army officers.

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Nanore Barsoumian

Nanore Barsoumian was the editor of the Armenian Weekly from 2014 to 2016. She served as assistant editor of the Armenian Weekly from 2010 to 2014. Her writings focus on human rights, politics, poverty, and environmental and gender issues. She has reported from Armenia, Nagorno-Karabagh, Javakhk and Turkey. She earned her B.A. degree in Political Science and English and her M.A. in Conflict Resolution from the University of Massachusetts (Boston).