Armenia still losing soldiers in non-combat conditions

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Not a single month passes without deaths of Armenian soldiers in non-combat conditions, both in the military units in Armenia itself and those located in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

The latest death occurred on May 26, when the body of captain Amayak Hakobyan with a penetrating gunshot wound in the chest area was found in a military unit of Armenia.

The local media reports note that a forensic medical examination has been appointed and investigative measures are being taken to clarify all the circumstances of the soldier’s death.

It is noteworthy that this is the 18th death in the Armenian army over the recent months. The previous one occurred in non-combat conditions in the Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The body of an Armenian soldier Hamlet Grigoryan with a through bullet wound in the lower jaw was found in a military unit on May 20.

A similar case happened on May 6, when the body of an Armenian serviceman Levon Torosyan was found in a military unit in North-East Armenia. The Investigative Committee claims this was a suicide, but the soldier’s family does not believe in this version.

Expert of the Peace Dialogue organization Ruben Martirosyan also denied this version immediately after the autopsy. He found obvious facts of murder, such as parallel scratches on the elbows, which emerged simultaneously, and bruising on the genitals.

Yet another case occurred on the night of May 4, when the body of a 20-year-old military serviceman Arthur Gasparyan with a gunshot wound in the mouth was found at the combat position of a military unit in North-East Armenia. Later, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under the article “Incitement to suicide.”

However, the criminal case was further developed and as a result, master sergeant of a defensive post where Gasparyan served was charged under the article “Insult of a serviceman.”

“The forensic medical examination was appointed and necessary investigative and other procedural actions are conducted to establish the serviceman’s death circumstances and check possible versions,” the statement reads.

However, Armenia’s population no longer believes in the statements of the government bodies, which present dozens of murders in the Armenian army as suicides.

Various human rights activists in Armenia note that hazing of conscripts has a strikingly violent form in the country’s army. Soldiers who have undergone more than six-month service bully new conscripts, while those in their last six months are regarded as ‘senior’ soldiers, who enjoy various privileges, including immunity from such a treatment.

Thus, some Armenian soldiers commit suicides because of being bullied in army, while others die because of being severely beaten and shot by their fellow soldiers. This was common during the 10-year rule of Sargsyan in Armenia, and now Pashinyan and the new defense minister of Armenia will have to carry out serious reforms in the country’s armed forces in order to stop these terrible deaths.