Statistics of Fatalities in the RA Armed Forces and the NK Defense Army in 2019
Peace Dialogue NGO continued to monitor deaths in the RA Armed Forces during the past year. The organization requested that the RA Prosecutor General’s Office provide summary information about death cases in the RA Armed Forces in 2019. However, prior to that, Peace Dialogue had managed to gather data on 44 cases of death in the Armenian Armed Forces in 2019 from reports by the RA Ministry of Defense, the NKR Defense Army, and other open sources. Compared to 2018 (65 cases), the number of fatalities decreased significantly over the past year. Still, the total number of deaths increased by three (5 instead of 2). There were also 4 cases of ceasefire violations, 16 fatal incidents, 10 suicides, 8 persons with health issues, and 1 death due to negligence and inaction.
28 of the cases took place in the Republic of Armenia (RA); 15 in the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) territory; and one soldier’s place of death is unknown.
The following are case reports according to cause of death.
Ceasefire Violations
Sipan Melkonyan (1 June, NK)
On 1 June at 7:30 am, Sipan Serik Melkonyan (born in 2000), a soldier in one of the military units located in the Defense Army’s Southeastern Command (Martuni), received a fatal gunshot wound from enemy fire. An investigation is underway to determine the details of the case.
Artyom Khachatryan (13 June, NK)
On 13 June at approximately 5:05 pm, soldier Artyom Vazgen Khachatryan (born in 1999) received a fatal gunshot wound from enemy fire in the perimeter of a military unit (base) in the northern sector protected by the Defense Army.
An investigation is underway to determine the details of the case․
Arman Bulghadaryan (27 July, RA)
On the northeastern part of the RA border, a contract serviceman from the RA Armed Forces, Arman Arayik Bulghadaryan, born in 1995, was found dead.
Ministry of Defense spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan wrote about this on his Facebook page on 28 July. He noted that the incident took place on the same day. However, in a letter from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office in response to Peace Dialogue NGO’s inquiry, the incident was dated as having occurred on 27 July.
Mushegh Abovyan (3 October, RA)
On 3 October 2019 at approximately 6:20 pm, in the direction of the RA’s N Military Unit’s combat position, contract serviceman Mushegh Zhirayr Abovyan received a fatal gunshot wound to the face from enemy fire.
This was reported by the Investigative Committee.
A criminal case has been initiated in the Sixth Garrison Investigation Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee under Article 104 (section 2, item 13) of the RA Criminal Code. A preliminary investigation is underway.
He was from Koghb village.
Murders
Mesrop Grigoryan (11 February, RA)
In the perimeter (base) of one of the military units, officer Mesrop Grigoryan (born18 October 1985) died as a result of fatal gunshot wounds.
According to preliminary information, a serviceman A. K. shot the victim with his machine gun with the intent to kill or murder. At approximately 5:20 pm, M. Grigoryan died as a result of the fatal gunshot wound. Per Article 104 (section 1) of the RA Criminal Code, the Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case on the basis of the incident. The preliminary investigation is underway. Necessary investigative and procedural actions have been undertaken to ensure a comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of the case.
The deceased military serviceman was raised in an orphanage. He had a sister and a brother.
According to Kotayk Regional Deputy Military Commissioner lieutenant colonel Babken Kurghinyan, the deceased Grigoryan had served in the military forces for a long period: after which he resigned. In October 2018, he signed a new contract to continue his service in the Armed Forces.
Karen Karapetyan (12 March, NK)
The Third Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case under Article 104 (section 1) of the RA Criminal Code. A preliminary investigation is underway for the case of a fatal gunshot wound that killed soldier Karen Karapetyan in the combat area of Military Unit N. The incident took place on 12 March 2019 at approximately 6:50 am.
During the course of the preliminary investigation of the aforementioned criminal case, a fellow soldier of K. Karapetyan was arrested on suspicion of committing a crime as per Article 104 (section 1) of the RA Criminal Code.
Necessary investigative and procedural activities are being implemented to ensure the comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of the case.
Ara Arakelyan (26 March, NK)
A criminal case has been initiated for an incident involving two soldiers of Military Unit N. They are junior sergeant (US equivalent: sergeant) Ara Arakelyan and junior sergeant Andranik Koshkanyan as per Article 34-104, section 2 (1) of the RA Criminal Code. The former received a fatal gunshot wound and the latter was wounded in the area near his left wrist on 26 March 2019 at approximately 6:30 pm.
During the course of the preliminary investigation of this case, a fellow soldier of the victims was arrested on suspicion of committing a crime per Article 34-104, section 2 (1) of the RA Criminal Code.
Necessary investigative and procedural measures are being taken to ensure the comprehensive, thorough, and objective investigation of the incident.
Arman Levonyan (28 September, NK)
On 28 September at approximately 6:50 am, in the perimeter of one of the military units located in the NK Defense Army’s northern watch sector, soldier Arman Armen Levonyan (born in 1999) was killed. The circumstances of his death remain unknown according to NK Defense Ministry press service reports.
The Third Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case on A. Levonyan’s death under Article 104 (1) of the RA Criminal Code.
An investigation is underway to find out the details of the accident.
Arthur Ajamyan (2 December, NK)
On 2 December at approximately 6:50 am in the protection area of a military unit located northeast of the Defense Army, under still uncertain circumstances, soldier Arthur Ishkhan Ajamyan (born in 1998) received a fatal gunshot wound and soldier David Harutyun Melikbekyan (born in 1999) was injured.
A criminal case is underway per Article 34-104 (section 2, point 1) of the RA Criminal Code to investigate the death of A. Ajamyan and the wounds suffered by D. Melikbekyan.
Necessary investigative and procedural actions have been undertaken to ensure a comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of this case.
Suicides
Edgar Grigoryan (1 January, RA)
According to Tert.am, on New Year’s Eve, a contract military serviceman Edgar Grigoryan died as a result of a fatal gunshot wound. The Armenian Defense Ministry (MoD) and the Investigative Committee did not release any official statement on the incident on their websites.
In response to media inquiries, the MoD provided the following information:
“On 1 January 2019 at approximately 4:00 am in the perimeter of the RA MoD Military Unit N, a contract serviceman from the same military unit, Edgar Eduard Grigoryan, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest area. He was taken to Meghri Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:10 am.”
MoD officials suggested that media submit requests for additional information to the investigations body. A criminal case was initiated in the RA Investigative Committee per Article 110, section 1 (driving a person to death by suicide) of the RA Criminal Code.
The MoD did not provide any answers to questions on why no official statement was released about the soldier’s death.
On 5 March, RA Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan spokesman claimed on his Facebook page that the Armenian Armed Forces had not concealed any incidents and would never do so. “We have already clarified that in Edgar Grigoryan’s case there was a mistake. However, this is not regular practice.”
Narek Safaryan (18 April, RA)
The Fourth Garrison Investigation Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee received a report from the Armenian Defense Ministry’s Military Police that on 18 April 2019 at 8:20 am, Narek Karen Safaryan, a contract serviceman in the Armenian Defense Ministry’s N Military Unit, had received a gunshot wound at the military unit’s arsenal. He was taken to the Mikaelyan Surgery Institute.
A criminal case was initiated under Article 110 of the Armenian Criminal Code. An investigative group was formed; led by M. Avagyan, Head of the Fourth Garrison’s Investigations Department. That group went to inspect the crime scene.
Narek Safaryan’s death was recorded on 18 April at 11:35 pm following necessary medical interventions.
A preliminary investigation of the case is underway. Investigators are reviewing all circumstances related to the case.
The hospitalized soldier was a 24-year-old contract serviceman and a resident of the Kotayk region. A note was found in the pocket of his uniform.
Arayik Tsatryan (19 June, NK)
There was no official source given or media report on this serviceman’s death. Information thereon has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dated 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request from 25 September 2019.
Hayk Alaverdyan (26 June, RA)
On 26 June 2019 at approximately 1:30 pm, Hayk Suren Alaverdyan, a private in the MoD’s N Military Unit, inflicted a fatal gunshot wound to his face with an AK-74 machine gun.
A criminal case has been initiated by the Fourth Garrison Investigations Department as per Article 110 (1) of the RA Criminal Code. A preliminary investigation is underway.
Hamik Vardanyan (20 July, RA)
On 20 July 2019 at approximately 6:15 pm, compulsory conscript Hamik Yeghia Vardanyan was found dead with a fatal gunshot wound to the forehead. He was in the lookout/watch point at the military post under the protection of the Armenian Defense Ministry’s N Military Unit. A criminal case has been initiated by the Eighth Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee per Article 110 (1) of the RA Criminal Code. A preliminary investigation is underway.
Volodya Galoyan (23 July, NK)
On 23 July 2019 at approximately 10:55 pm, Volodya Hamlet Galoyan, a military serviceman in Unit N’s combat position, fired an AK-74 machine gun in the direction of a senior combatant in the area adjacent to an underground bunker in the aforementioned combat position. The incident is considered first degree murder. V. Galoyan did not however succeed in carrying out his crime, due to circumstances beyond his control.
Immediately after the shooting, V. Galoyan left his position with the AK-74 machine gun attached to his person. Afterwards, on 24 July 2019 at approximately 4:20 pm, about 50 meters from the watch point of the combat position, V. Galoyan’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the lower jaw and the machine gun beside him.
A criminal case was initiated in the Second Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee per Article 34-104 (1) and Article 110 (1) of the RA Criminal Code. An investigation is underway.
Necessary investigative and procedural actions have been undertaken to ensure a comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of the case.
Samvel Mezhlumyan (7 August, RA)
On 7 August 2019 at approximately 7:00 pm, the body of an out-of-service soldier from the Armenian Defense Ministry’s N Military Unit, Samvel Garnik Mejlumyan, was found having been hanged from a tree in the Gyumri’s Vard-bagh district.
Materials on the case are being prepared at the Tenth Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee.
Necessary actions have been taken to ensure a comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of the case.
Armen Nerkararyan (13 September, RA)
The hanged body of contracted serviceman Armen Nerkararyan was found in a cattle shed in Gandzakar village in the Tavush region. This information has been confirmed by the Armenian Defense Ministry.
Media reports on the incident mention the soldier as Armen M. However, the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response on 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request for information dating from 25 September 2019 states his surname as Nerkararyan.
Erik Harutyunyan (4 November, RA)
On 4 November 2019 at approximately 7:30 pm, conscript Erik Ararat Harutyunyan was found in the N Military Unit arsenal with a gunshot wound to his chin area. Erik Harutyunyan died on the way to the military hospital.
The Second Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case per Article 110 (1) of the RA Criminal Code. The investigation is underway.
Necessary investigative and procedural actions have been undertaken to ensure a comprehensive, thorough and objective investigation of the case.
Vahan Musheghyan (November 26, RA)
On 26 November at approximately 9:00 am, the body of Vahan Robert Musheghyan (born in 2000, 2019 – 1 conscription, Syunik Military Recruitment Center), a soldier in N Military Unit, was found hanged from the tree near the Dilijan Military Training Center.
An investigation is underway to determine circumstances surrounding the incident.
Fatal Incidents
Gevorg Chobanyan (1 January, RA)
On 1 January 2019 at approximately 9:30 pm, contract serviceman Sergeant Gevorg Chobanyan had a car accident on the 141st km of the Yerevan-Noyemberyan highway. He was on leave at the time. The sergeant died as a result of the accident.
Khoren Gevorgyan (13 January, RA)
On 13 January at approximately 9:00 pm, Khoren Gevorgyan’s car (VAZ-2107, license plate 10 QA 045) was hit by a Volvo truck with an Iranian license plate. Kh. Gevorgyan was an inhabitant of Karchevan Village in the Syunik region. He died as a result of the accident, and two passengers were taken to Meghri Medical Center. The deceased was a contract serviceman in the RA MoD’s N Military Unit.
Armen Grigoryan (24 February, RA)
On 24 February at approximately 2:00 pm, a notification was received at the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations’ Rescue Service about a car that had rolled off the road and fallen into the Tavush reservoir on the 2nd km of the Berd-Aygepar highway. A dead person was found inside the car. The deceased was 31-year-old Armen Grigoryan, an inhabitant of Aygepar Village in the Tavush region. He was a contract serviceman in the Armed Forces.
The Sixth Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding Armen Suren Grigoryan’s death.
On 24 February 2019 at approximately 2:30 pm, the drowned body of Armen Suren Grigoryan, an on-leave contract serviceman in the RA MoD’s N Military Unit, was found in the Tavush reservoir located near km 2.5 of the Berd-Aygepar highway. The Sixth Garrison Investigation Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee took all necessary measures to ensure a comprehensive, thorough, and objective investigation of the case.
Derenik Danielyan (10 March, RA) and Meruzhan Hakobyan (10 March, RA)
On 10 March 2019, contract servicemen Derenik Danielyan and Meruzhan Hakobyan died as the result of a car accident (a car driven by a third party hit an electricity pole) in the Kotayk region.
Hamlet Avagyan (12 March, RA)
According to the RA MoD’s Press Secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan, soldier-medic Hamlet Avagyan died on 12 March while carrying out his official duties. He was working in the northeastern area of Armenia’s border defenses. The 19-year-old soldier had been recruited to the army in July 2018.
According to Ministry reports, private H. Avagyan, a sanitary instructor for RA MoD N Military Unit, died on 12 March 2019 at approximately 5:00 pm after falling into a gorge on the way to another military base. He was travelling to that base to provide medical care. H. Avagyan died as a result of bodily injuries incurred during the accident.
The Sixth Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee is preparing necessary materials on the case.
Armen Aharonyan (2 May, RA) and L. Aharonyan (2 May, RA)
On 2 May 2019 at 11:40 pm, brothers and contract servicemen A. Aharonyan and L. Aharonyan died in a car accident in the Syunik region.
Ararat Khechumyan (14 May, RA)
On 14 May 2019 at about 4:30 pm, according to preliminary data, vehicle computing commander and military serviceman, junior sergeant Ararat Khechumyan (born in 1999 in Kapan) was injured as a result of a Ural-4310 vehicle collision in the military drill area of the Armenian Defense Ministry’s N Military Unit.
A criminal case has been launched in the Sixth Garrison Investigations Unit of the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee as per Article 377 (2) of the Armenian Criminal Code. An investigation is currently underway.
Ashot Mnacakanyan (19 May, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request from 25 September 2019.
Gevorg Sarukhanyan (23 May, NK)
On 24 May 2019, the Police of the Republic of Artshakh issued the following statement: “On 23 May at about 2:45 pm, H. N. (a Yerevan resident born in 1992) caused a car crash involving G. S. (an Askerani resident born in 1986) on the 12th kilometer of the Askeran-Stepanakert highway. H. N. was driving a Lexus LX 470. As a result of the accident, G. S.’s car overturned and he later died on the spot. H. N. (the driver) and the passengers H. A. (a Yerevan resident born in 1975), S. S. (also from Yerevan and born in 1975) and E. A. (a Martuni resident born in 1990) were taken to the Republican Medical Center for treatment. E. A. died at 4:10 pm on that same day.”
On the next day, a Facebook user commented that the reason for the accident was that one of Ruben Hayrapetyan’s (a former parliamentary deputy for the previous ruling Republican Party and an oligarch) cars, which was involved in the incident, exceeded the speed limit by three times the legal rate.
The Armenian Times writes that Gevorg Sarukhanyan, the victim in the car crash, was a resident of Ivanyan village located in the Askeran region. He was a contract serviceman in a military unit in Artsakh.
After the car crash, the car’s license plates strangely disappeared. The Armenian Times managed to find out that the car initially had plates with the following number: 08 LL 888. Photos were also found showing Hayrapetyan driving around Yerevan in that very car.
Vardges Khachatryan (1 June, RA)
On 1 June at approximately 1:00 am, 46-year-old Vardges Khachatryan, a resident of Goris, drove out of his lane at the 230 km mark on the Yerevan-Meghri highway. His Gas 3110 model car went off the road and fell into a gorge on the left side of the roadway. He died immediately. A criminal case has been initiated as per Article 242 of the Republic of Armenia’s Criminal Code.
According to G. Shamshyan, Khachatryan serves as a contract soldier in the RA Army Corps.
Arayik Balasanyan (18 June, NK)
On 18 June at approximately 7:40 am, a contract serviceman Arayik Erik Balasanyan (born in 1994 and serving at one of the military units in the Defense Army’s northern sector) had a car accident.
Despite doctors’ efforts, the serviceman died in the hospital at approximately 9:00 am.
An investigation is underway to determine the details of the incident.
Artsvik Gharibyan (2 July, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Mher Mkrtchyan (10 August, NK)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Gagik Baghunts (16 August, NK)
On 16 August at 7:39 pm, a notification was received from the Martakert Regional Emergency Department that a car accident had occurred on the 8th km of the Tonashen-Erek Mankants Monastery Road. An Isuzu car had pulled out of its lane on the road and had rolled approximately 70 meters into a canyon.
Gagik Baghunts, a resident of Martakert (born in 1976), died as a result of the accident.
Health Issues
Slava Gevorgyan (6 January, NK)
On 6 January 2019, warrant officer Slava Gevorgyan was hospitalized in Martakert Medical Center with a diagnosis of hypertensive crisis, ischemic heart disease, and a gastric ulcer. He was pronounced legally dead at approximately 11:50 am.
Karen Lalayan (24 January, place unknown)
On 24 January 2019 at approximately 11:15 pm, Lieutenant Colonel Karen Lalayan was pronounced legally dead in an ambulance. The diagnosis or cause of death was cancer.
Vrezh Karapetyan (7 April, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Hrachya Boyajyan (28 April, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Aram Khlghatyan (31 May, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Aram Sargsyan (2 June, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Yurik Hakobyan (17 June, RA)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Sasun Balayan (18 July, NK)
No official source or media reported on this serviceman’s death. Information has been taken from the RA Central Military Prosecutor’s Office’s response dating from 9 October 2019 to Peace Dialogue NGO’s request dated 25 September 2019.
Negligence or Inaction
Frunzik Tamazyan (12 February, NK)
On 12 February 2019, Alaverdi resident Frunzik Tamazyan died in Martakert Military Hospital (located in an NK DA Military Unit situated in Madaghis) from cardiac arrest caused, according to the initial diagnosis, by liver failure.
The RA MoD did not release any official statement on this case at the time. According to RA MoD spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan, this is allegedly one of the cases unrelated to military service. However, in response to Forrights.am’s query, RA Investigative Committee press secretary Naira Harutyunyan stated that “A criminal case was initiated as per Article 376, section 2 of the RA Criminal Code relating to professional negligence that has accidentally resulted in grave consequences. There are no guilty parties in the criminal case mentioned.”
The father of the deceased, war veteran Valeri Tamazyan, reports that his son was healthy and could not have died in a single day. He suspects that his 19-year-old son did not receive timely, accurate medical care thus resulting in his death.
Posted 13 February, 2020
