Statistics of fatalities in the Armenian Army in the first semester of 2018
In the first semester of 2018, Peace Dialogue (PD) non-governmental organization (NGO) learned about 24 death cases in the Republic of Armenia (RA) Armed Forces (AF) and Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) Defense Army (DA). In RA, 8 cases were recorded; in NK, 16.
In the mentioned period, there were recorded 2 cases of murder, 4 cases of suicide, 5 cases as a result of ceasefire violations, 7 causalities, 2 cases as a result of health issues, and 1 as a result of safety rule violations and the cause of 3 more cases is yet unknown.
Below, the cases are presented with the causes of death.
It should be noted that official causes of death are presented, although in at least one of these cases, the case of Levon Torosyan, it is probable that the real cause of death does not coincide with the official version.
Note, the Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia responded to PD’s inquiry that, in the first quarter of this year, in the RA AF and the NK DA, 9 deaths were reported in connection with conscription in the military whereas, according to PD data, there were 11 cases in the mentioned period. There will be an attempt to clarify the contradiction through a new inquiry to the Defense Ministry.
Murder
Alek Karapetyan (April 15, NK)
On April 15, at approximately 7:15 p.m., soldier Alek Karapetyan (born in 1998) died of a mortal gunshot wound as a result of a fatal incident in one of the NK DA military units located in northern NK.
The urgent investigative actions initiated by the Third Garrison Investigative Department revealed the circumstances of the deadly gunshot wound received by the soldier Alek Karapetyan. A criminal case was filed on the case of the murder.
According to preliminary data, on April 15, 2018, at approximately 7:15 p.m., while performing his duty in the watchtower, Alek Karapetyan received a gunshot wound on the right side of his chest. The gunshot wound resulted in Karapetyan’s death as he was en route to the Military Hospital.
The Third Garrison Investigative Department filed a criminal case as per Article 104 (Part 1) of the RA Criminal Code. Based on the factual data obtained in the criminal case, the soldier received the wound as a result of a gunshot released by a fellow soldier during an argument between the two.
The investigation revealed the motive of the argument and the identity of the perpetrator, who was later arrested. An external examination of the corpse, forensic study and confiscations have been carried out, and a number of individuals have been interrogated. The preliminary investigation is underway.
Hovhannes Melkonyan (June 22, RA)
An investigation is being carried out in the 5th Garrison Investigative Department to reveal all the circumstances of the death of contract soldier Hovhannes Melkonyan. It was reported by the Investigative Committee.
According to the preliminary data, on June 22, in the late evening, Melkonyan was mortally wounded in the abdomen as a result of gunshot fire released in the combat position.
According to the obtained data, the deputy commander fired the shots with a gun attached to another serviceman of the same company.
In the 5th Garrison Investigative Department, a criminal case has been initiated as per Article 373 (Part 3) of the RA Criminal Code, and the deputy commander of the company has been arrested.
The preliminary investigation is ongoing.
Suicide
Artur Gasparyan (May 4, RA)
An investigation is underway in the 6th Garrison Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee to determine the circumstances of the death of soldier Artur Gasparyan.
On May 4, 2018, at approximately 1:10 a.m., at the combat position in the defense area of RA Defense Ministry (MoD) military unit, soldier Artur Gasparyan’s body was found with a mortal gunshot wound in the mouth.
The 6th Garrison Investigative Department has filed a criminal case on the incident as per Article 110 (Part 1) of the RA Criminal Code.
A forensic medical examination has been carried out; other necessary investigative and procedural actions are being taken to determine the circumstances of the soldier’s death.
Levon Torosyan (May 6, RA)
On May 6, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the soldier Levon Torosyan’s body (born in 1999, drafted in 2017, Armavir Military Commissariat) was found in a military unit located in northeastern RA. The death was caused by a fatal headshot.
A criminal case was initiated under the hypothesis of a suicide. An investigation is underway to reveal the circumstances of the case.
On May 6, 2018, at approximately 7:25 a.m., at the RA MoD 21127 military unit, in the area of “Hakobasar” military base, the soldier Levon Arsen Torosyan’s body was found with a gunshot wound in his head with its entrance under the chin and its exit at the top of his head. The 6th Garrison Investigative Department of the RA has initiated criminal case No. 90753018 under the hypothesis of a suicide. Ruben Martirosyan, an expert of PD NGO, legal representative of the victim’s successor, partook in the body examination on 07.05.18 and revealed that the following injuries were found on the soldier’s body:
- Hemorrhage around the soldiers’ genital organs,
- Abrasions on the right and left arms of the elbow joint areas. The injuries are of the same dimension, were caused at the same time, and may have had the same cause (synchronous, similar injuries).
Based on the above information, Ruben Martirosyan came to an unequivocal conclusion that the incident was a deliberate murder. Before the killing, the murderers hit the soldier’s genital organs, which resulted in severe pain. Thus, he was deprived of the opportunity to resist and defend himself. It happened not long before death, because the bloodied areas were pink or light red. Taking advantage of the soldier’s helplessness, the murderers seized him by his hands and then shot him to death. Currently, without an extra investigation, a forensic doctor cannot tell whether the soldier received the abrasions on his hands before or after his death. In either case, it is confirmed that the incident was a murder. If the abrasions were present when the soldier was still alive, it would mean that he attempted to free and defend himself; meanwhile, the contact with the soil caused the injuries. Before considering the posthumous hypothesis, let’s note that the soldier died immediately after the gunshot. If we consider the abrasions to be posthumous, the murderers moved the body to a different place to cover the traces of the murder. There was no other reason to move the body since the victim died immediately after the gunshot.
Hamlet Grigoryan (May 20, NK)
On May 20, at the combat position in the defense area of one of the military units located in eastern NK, a DA soldier, Hamlet Grigoryan (born in 1999), received a mortal gunshot wound under undefined circumstances. An investigation is underway in the 1st Garrison Investigative Department to reveal the circumstances of the soldier’s death.
According to the RA Investigative Committee, on May 20, 2018, at approximately 11:00 a.m., in the defense area of one of the military units, the body of soldier Hamlet Grigoryan was found with a penetrating mortal gunshot wound with its entrance under the chin and its exit at the top of the head.
The 1st Garrison Investigative Department has filed a criminal case as per Article 110 (Part 1) of the RA Criminal Code.
A forensic examination has been scheduled, other necessary investigative and procedural actions are being taken to determine all the circumstances and verify all the possible hypotheses of the soldier’s death.
Hmayak Hakobyan (May 26, RA)
According to preliminary data, on May 26, at approximately 1 p.m., in the bedroom of a Communication Military Company based in Yerevan, captain Hmayak Hakobyan’s body was found with a penetrating mortal gunshot wound in the chest. A death note was also found on the site of the incident.
The necessary investigative and procedural actions are being taken to determine the circumstances of the death.
Ceasefire Violation
Vache Chilingaryan (January 7, NK)
The press service of the NK MoD reported that on January 7, 2018 at approximately 1:20 p.m. NK DA soldier Vache Chilingaryan (born in 1998) received a fatal gunshot wound by Azerbaijani fire while in a defense area of a military unit in the northeastern area of the contact line.
An investigation is underway to determine the details of the incident.
The 19-year old deceased soldier Vache Chilingaryan was from village Shorzha, Gharkunik region. The head of the same village Suliko Shoushanyan, said the following about the incident: “We were informed that Vache’s friend was shot first, and then Vache was shot as he tried to help him. Another friend of theirs was also shot as he tried to help. Now we have one victim and two wounded soldiers.”
Armtimes.com tried to discover more information about the wounded soldiers from the RA MoD press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan, however, the latter did not answer their inquiries. “According to our information, the two wounded soldiers received minor injuries, and their lives are not in danger,” reported Armtimes.com.
Hayk Kalantaryan (February 7, NK)
The second Garrison Investigation Department filed a criminal case regarding the murder of compulsory military serviceman Hayk Kalantaryan, who was killed by the adversary.
On February 7, 2018, at 1:50 p.m. the soldier Hayk Kalantaryan was wounded in the head as a result of a gunshot fired by the Azerbaijani side in the direction of the combat position in one of the military unit’s defense area. The soldier was taken to a military hospital, where he died at 7:10 p.m.
In the Second Garrison Investigative Department, a criminal case was initiated on the basis of national, racial or religious hatred or religious fanaticism. The investigation is underway.
Grigor Yeghoyan (February 22, NK)
On February 22, at approximately 9:40 a.m. in the defense area of one of the NK DA military units located in northeastern NK, DA soldier Grigor Yeghoyan (born in 1998) was mortally wounded as a result of Azerbaijani fire.
He was a resident of Akhuryan village in the region of Akhuryan. Artsruni Igityan, Akhuryan village head, noted that Grigor had been drafted to the army in July 2016, and would have been demobilized in 5 months. He was the youngest child in the family after his sister and brother. The family resides in the Russian Federation; Grigor had come to Armenia to serve in the army.
Girgor Yeghoyan was posthumously awarded the combat service medal.
Narek Harutyunyan (April 9, NK)
On April 9, 2018, at approximately 2:20 p.m., in the defense area of one of the NK DA military units located in the southern area of the borderline, a DA soldier, Narek Harutyunyan (born in 1998), died of a mortal gunshot released by the Azerbaijani side. An investigation is underway to find out all the circumstances of the death.
Vahagn Eloyan (June 10, NK)
On June 10, at approximately 6:00 p.m., in the defense area of one of the NK DA units located in southeastern NK, DA serviceman Vahagn Eloyan (born in 1992) was mortally wounded by Azerbaijani fire. An investigation is underway to find out the circumstances of the case.
Casualties
Mher Ziroyan (January 6, NK)
According to preliminary data, on January 6, at approximately 2:10 a.m., contract soldier senior lieutenant Mher Ziroyan was fatally poisoned by gas in the bathroom of his apartment.
The senior lieutenant Mher Ziroyan served in Hadrut. He served as an officer for 5 years, was the commander of a company in the RA AF; he participated, and was wounded in the April War.
Pargev Saribekyan (January 6, RA)
The 19-year-old resident of Hrazdan, soldier Pargev Saribekyan returned home for New Year celebrations. On January 2, 2018, while driving his Mercedes model car, he drove off the main road in Hrazdan and crashed into a tree.
He was taken to the hospital and died on January 6, without regaining consciousness.
Edgar Yeremyan (March 15, NK)
Armen Harutyunyan (March 24, NK)
Ruslan Manukyan (April 17, NK)
Narek Chagharyan (May 29, RA)
Suren Ayvazyan (May 30, NK)
Health Issues
Hayk Hakobyan (February 8, NK)
NK DA soldier Hayk Hakobyan (born in 1999) died in the Stepanakert military hospital on February 8, 2018, at approximately 2:15p.m. from illness (preliminary diagnosis – fulminant meningococcemia).
Armen Atanesyan (June 29, NK)
On June 29, at approximately 8:30 p.m., contract soldier Armen Atanesyan (born in 1973) died from illness (preliminary diagnosis – gallbladder disease, liver failure) in one of the NK DA military units located in the central area of NK.
An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the case.
Safety Rules
Hovsep Grigoryan (January 27, NK)
On January 27, 2018 at approximately 4:25-4:45 p.m., a soldier of one of the military units of NK DA, Hovsep Grigoryan, died of a gunshot wound in the forehead. According to preliminary data, Hovsep Grigoryan suffered fatal gunshot injuries as a result of another soldier’s breach of the rules for handling weapons.
There has been no official statement on the death causes of three other soldiers. The official statements or other publications do not provide the circumstances of the death.
Harutyun Khachatryan (January 16, NK)
On January 16, 2018 at approximately 1:15 a.m., NK DA soldier Harutyun Khachatryan (born in 1998) of the military unit located in the northern area of NK died due to unknown circumstances.
An investigation is underway to find out the circumstances of the soldier’s death.
Stepan Stepanyan (February 12, NK)
On February 12, 2018, soldier Stepan Stepanyan was reported to have died in the reanimation department of the Central Clinical Military Hospital of the RA MoD. On the same day, the fourth Garrison Investigative Department of RA was assigned a forensic examination to find out the cause of death.
According to preliminary S. Stepanyan was granted leave on February 1-10, 2018. He spent it in the Garni village of Kotayk region. On February 10, 2018 the soldier, accompanied by his uncle in his car, left the village for Yerevan Northern Station to leave for Ijevan and continue his military service. On the way to the bus station, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the soldier felt bad but decided to still go back to his military service. On the same day, at approximately 11:15 p.m., S. Stepanyan turned to the medical center of the military unit and then was taken to Ijevan Medical Center. The next day, on February 11, at 7:30 a.m., S. Stepanyan was taken, in an unconscious condition, to the MoD Central Military Hospital. He died there at 5:30 pm. on February 12.
The results of the forensic examination have yet to be received. According to the body autopsy, the forensic doctors recorded cerebral palsy with the syndrome of cerebral pressure as the immediate pathological condition that led to death. The main cause of death is said to be “coma of unknown origin”.
On February 22, based on the materials prepared on the case of the death of the military serviceman, a criminal case was filed in the 4th Garrison Investigative Department as per Article 130 (Part 2) of the RA Criminal Code.
The preliminary investigation is underway. All the necessary investigation measures for the comprehensive, objective, and full investigation of all circumstances of death are underway.
P.S. Media reported first about the incident. The MoD did not release a message on the soldier’s death.
Martin Khachatryan (May 22, RA)
An investigation is underway in the 8th Garrison Investigative Department to find out the circumstances of the death of soldier Martin Khachatryan.
On May 22, 2018, at approximately 1:35 p.m. in the combat position of one of the RA MoD Military units, soldier Martin Khachatyan’s body was found with a penetrating mortal gunshot wound in the abdominal area.
A forensic examination has been appointed, and other necessary investigative and procedural actions have been taken to determine all the circumstances and verify all the possible hypotheses related to the soldier’s death.
Posted 04 July, 2018
