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ARMENIAN DEFENSE OFFICE UNWILLING TO PUNISH KILLER-OFFICERS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SAYS
Tert.am
29.07.11
The only comfort for the parents whose children have been murdered
in the army since 1997 is that those guilty be justly punished,
Avetik Iskhanyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia,
told journalists on Friday.
He recalled that, this January, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
had a talk "through the rail fence" with the killed soldiers' parents
and promised them that al he crimes would be solved.
"However, the cases have remained pigeonholed. Bullying has always
been practiced in the army, but after human rights activists raised
an alarm last year, as well as under public pressure, the president
addressed the problem of soldiers killed in the army in peaceful
time," Ishkhanyan said. However, no progress has so far been recorded,
he added.
He referred to the incident that occurred in the region of Vaik in 2001
and involved Araik Avetisyan. "According to the preliminary evidence,
it was the commander that struck him. Later, however, a soldier was
convicted. Then that soldier was acquitted. I think they just do not
want to punish their officers," Ishkhanyan said.
"As a rule, it is investigators that give parents hope. Parents
believe them and wait. But months pass, some people are punished
or go unpunished. But the killed soldiers' parents doubt that it is
those really guilty that are punished," the human rights activist said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Tert.am
29.07.11
The only comfort for the parents whose children have been murdered
in the army since 1997 is that those guilty be justly punished,
Avetik Iskhanyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia,
told journalists on Friday.
He recalled that, this January, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
had a talk "through the rail fence" with the killed soldiers' parents
and promised them that al he crimes would be solved.
"However, the cases have remained pigeonholed. Bullying has always
been practiced in the army, but after human rights activists raised
an alarm last year, as well as under public pressure, the president
addressed the problem of soldiers killed in the army in peaceful
time," Ishkhanyan said. However, no progress has so far been recorded,
he added.
He referred to the incident that occurred in the region of Vaik in 2001
and involved Araik Avetisyan. "According to the preliminary evidence,
it was the commander that struck him. Later, however, a soldier was
convicted. Then that soldier was acquitted. I think they just do not
want to punish their officers," Ishkhanyan said.
"As a rule, it is investigators that give parents hope. Parents
believe them and wait. But months pass, some people are punished
or go unpunished. But the killed soldiers' parents doubt that it is
those really guilty that are punished," the human rights activist said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress