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ARMENIAN MILITARY REPORTS ANOTHER DEADLY SHOOTING
Armenialiberty.org
Aug 24 2010
The Armenian military confirmed on Tuesday reports of yet another
non-combat shooting within its ranks that left one soldier dead.
In a written statement, Armenia's Defense Ministry said Sergeant
Arsen Chobanian, 26, was shot dead by a fellow serviceman last
week at an army outpost guarding an unspecified section of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It said the suspected shooter, Harutiun
Vartanian, was arrested and charged with premeditated murder.
"A criminal investigation into the case is continuing," the statement
added. It gave no further details, saying only that the two soldiers
are natives of the northeastern Tavush region bordering western
Azerbaijan.
According to Armenian media reports they served in an army corps
stationed in Tavush on a contractual basis.
The military unit was already rocked late last month by the mysterious
shooting of Lieutenant Artak Nazarian. His relatives believe that
the 30-year-old was killed by fellow servicemen.
Military investigators insist, however, that Nazarian committed
suicide after being badly ill-treated by a deputy commander of his
battalion and three soldiers. All four men are now under arrest
pending investigation.
Nazarian was found dead the day before another officer and five
soldiers serving at an army unit in Nagorno-Karabakh were shot dead
in still unclear circumstances. Military investigators say one of
those soldiers went on a shooting spree and killed himself after a
bitter dispute with the officer.
The deadly incidents cast a renewed spotlight on chronic abuse,
corruption and mismanagement within Armenia's Armed Forces. Eight
senior and mid-level officers were dismissed and more than a dozen
others demoted as a result.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian discussed the deaths at an emergency
meeting with the top army brass and senior Defense Ministry officials
earlier this month. He ordered them to "meticulously analyze what
happened" and "take steps to strengthen discipline in the troops."
From: A. Papazian
Armenialiberty.org
Aug 24 2010
The Armenian military confirmed on Tuesday reports of yet another
non-combat shooting within its ranks that left one soldier dead.
In a written statement, Armenia's Defense Ministry said Sergeant
Arsen Chobanian, 26, was shot dead by a fellow serviceman last
week at an army outpost guarding an unspecified section of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It said the suspected shooter, Harutiun
Vartanian, was arrested and charged with premeditated murder.
"A criminal investigation into the case is continuing," the statement
added. It gave no further details, saying only that the two soldiers
are natives of the northeastern Tavush region bordering western
Azerbaijan.
According to Armenian media reports they served in an army corps
stationed in Tavush on a contractual basis.
The military unit was already rocked late last month by the mysterious
shooting of Lieutenant Artak Nazarian. His relatives believe that
the 30-year-old was killed by fellow servicemen.
Military investigators insist, however, that Nazarian committed
suicide after being badly ill-treated by a deputy commander of his
battalion and three soldiers. All four men are now under arrest
pending investigation.
Nazarian was found dead the day before another officer and five
soldiers serving at an army unit in Nagorno-Karabakh were shot dead
in still unclear circumstances. Military investigators say one of
those soldiers went on a shooting spree and killed himself after a
bitter dispute with the officer.
The deadly incidents cast a renewed spotlight on chronic abuse,
corruption and mismanagement within Armenia's Armed Forces. Eight
senior and mid-level officers were dismissed and more than a dozen
others demoted as a result.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian discussed the deaths at an emergency
meeting with the top army brass and senior Defense Ministry officials
earlier this month. He ordered them to "meticulously analyze what
happened" and "take steps to strengthen discipline in the troops."
From: A. Papazian