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MORE QUESTIONS OVER ARMY DEATHS: ACTIVISTS DEMAND RESIGNATIONS AFTER NEW QUESTIONABLE SUICIDES IN THE RANKS
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.10.11 | 14:12
Wednesday brought more unfortunate news about a soldier's death in
the Armenian army - the second in the past four days. These deaths in
the ranks in peacetime have once again stirred public debate causing
widespread discontent in society.
A number of human rights organizations that in September put forth
the demand for "serious steps" to be taken to redress the situation on
Wednesday announced that the one-month period had expired and that the
taken steps were "insufficient". Therefore, they said, based on that
they would demand the resignation of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,
President Serzh Sargsyan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.
Nineteen-year-old Yurik Nersisyan died on October 12 at a military
unit. According to officially released information, the soldier shot
himself with his own weapon.
On October 9, according to an official report, another 19-year-old,
Vladimir Asatryan, committed suicide at a military unit stationed in
Nagorno-Karabakh's Martakert district.
Three soldiers have already been arrested on charges of driving
Asatryan into committing suicide. The victim had written their names
and nicknames on his arm before his death. But his parents do not
trust the official version, still they hope that it would be possible
to find the real culprits at least due to the names written on the
dead soldier's arm.
In another incident a soldier survived, but alleged torture and
inhuman treatment against him left such a deep impact on him that
his parents doubt he will ever be able to return to normal life.
The 19-year-old soldier (his name is not mentioned at his parents'
request) was hospitalized with the diagnosis of "acute psychosis"
and with multiple injuries on his body.
According to his father Mkrtich Lazarian, his son is in an unbearable
condition, "almost dead" as he describes it.
"There is no healthy spot on my child's body, his ear is the size of
his head so swollen it is, he has bruises all over his body, traces
of burns from cigarettes on his hands, he can't even talk, all the
time doctors administer him some drug injection, trying to cause his
complete debility so that he cannot say anything, say who did those
atrocities to him," says Lazarian. The man, who is a Karabakh war
veteran, is concerned as he has five children and his youngest son
is due to be called up for military service in a few months' time.
"I don't understand -- if our army leaders cannot control the army
commanders, let them step down, other people will come. These beasts
put our children into a mincing-machine," says the angry father.
There are no arrests in the case in question even though the incident
took place still a month ago. First, the solider was transferred
to a medical aid station at the military unit, then to Stepanakert
hospital and only then to Yerevan's Kanaz military hospital. Only on
September 27 did the authorities tell the soldier's father about his
son's hospitalization.
The suspected hazing took place at a military unit called Yeghnikner
where on August 26 serviceman Aghasi Abrahamyan was killed. And last
year a video disseminated through social networking websites showed
a commander humiliating and beating a soldier. That commander later
turned out to be a Yeghnikner officer.
Eight human rights groups said in a statement on Wednesday that the
Defense Ministry has not made "a significant step" in the past month,
moreover "it has put pressure on relatives of the dead, urging them
not to participate in protests."
"... The pressure used against relatives of deceased soldiers calls
into questions the political will to normalize the situation," said
leading human rights activists.
However, the authorities do not agree with this kind of assessment.
Newly appointed Deputy Prosecutor General, Military Prosecutor Gevorg
Kostanyan calls it "not objective."
"One should simply compare current figures with the figures for
previous years. It is obvious that the numbers are decreasing,
simply publicity has increased. Of course, our ultimate goal is to
solve the problem completely, but it can only be the result of long
systemic changes, and it cannot be done within a day, within a month,"
Kostanyan told ArmeniaNow.
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.10.11 | 14:12
Wednesday brought more unfortunate news about a soldier's death in
the Armenian army - the second in the past four days. These deaths in
the ranks in peacetime have once again stirred public debate causing
widespread discontent in society.
A number of human rights organizations that in September put forth
the demand for "serious steps" to be taken to redress the situation on
Wednesday announced that the one-month period had expired and that the
taken steps were "insufficient". Therefore, they said, based on that
they would demand the resignation of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,
President Serzh Sargsyan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.
Nineteen-year-old Yurik Nersisyan died on October 12 at a military
unit. According to officially released information, the soldier shot
himself with his own weapon.
On October 9, according to an official report, another 19-year-old,
Vladimir Asatryan, committed suicide at a military unit stationed in
Nagorno-Karabakh's Martakert district.
Three soldiers have already been arrested on charges of driving
Asatryan into committing suicide. The victim had written their names
and nicknames on his arm before his death. But his parents do not
trust the official version, still they hope that it would be possible
to find the real culprits at least due to the names written on the
dead soldier's arm.
In another incident a soldier survived, but alleged torture and
inhuman treatment against him left such a deep impact on him that
his parents doubt he will ever be able to return to normal life.
The 19-year-old soldier (his name is not mentioned at his parents'
request) was hospitalized with the diagnosis of "acute psychosis"
and with multiple injuries on his body.
According to his father Mkrtich Lazarian, his son is in an unbearable
condition, "almost dead" as he describes it.
"There is no healthy spot on my child's body, his ear is the size of
his head so swollen it is, he has bruises all over his body, traces
of burns from cigarettes on his hands, he can't even talk, all the
time doctors administer him some drug injection, trying to cause his
complete debility so that he cannot say anything, say who did those
atrocities to him," says Lazarian. The man, who is a Karabakh war
veteran, is concerned as he has five children and his youngest son
is due to be called up for military service in a few months' time.
"I don't understand -- if our army leaders cannot control the army
commanders, let them step down, other people will come. These beasts
put our children into a mincing-machine," says the angry father.
There are no arrests in the case in question even though the incident
took place still a month ago. First, the solider was transferred
to a medical aid station at the military unit, then to Stepanakert
hospital and only then to Yerevan's Kanaz military hospital. Only on
September 27 did the authorities tell the soldier's father about his
son's hospitalization.
The suspected hazing took place at a military unit called Yeghnikner
where on August 26 serviceman Aghasi Abrahamyan was killed. And last
year a video disseminated through social networking websites showed
a commander humiliating and beating a soldier. That commander later
turned out to be a Yeghnikner officer.
Eight human rights groups said in a statement on Wednesday that the
Defense Ministry has not made "a significant step" in the past month,
moreover "it has put pressure on relatives of the dead, urging them
not to participate in protests."
"... The pressure used against relatives of deceased soldiers calls
into questions the political will to normalize the situation," said
leading human rights activists.
However, the authorities do not agree with this kind of assessment.
Newly appointed Deputy Prosecutor General, Military Prosecutor Gevorg
Kostanyan calls it "not objective."
"One should simply compare current figures with the figures for
previous years. It is obvious that the numbers are decreasing,
simply publicity has increased. Of course, our ultimate goal is to
solve the problem completely, but it can only be the result of long
systemic changes, and it cannot be done within a day, within a month,"
Kostanyan told ArmeniaNow.