Another Non-Combat Death: Soldier From Echmiadzin Shot Dead In Karab

ANOTHER NON-COMBAT DEATH: SOLDIER FROM ECHMIADZIN SHOT DEAD IN KARABAKH’S MILITARY UNIT
Nazik Armenakyan

ArmeniaNow
07.09.11 | 15:12

Human rights activists estimate that around 1,500 Armenian soldiers
have died of non-combat reasons during peacetime since the ceasefire
of the Karabakh War.

By Gayane Lazarian ArmeniaNow reporter Another violent incident has
taken place in a Karabakh military unit resulting in the death of a
soldier. At 6:00 am on Wednesday, near combat positions in Askeran,
private Hayk Lazarian reportedly received fatal gunshots.

Military authorities in Stepanakert said the serviceman of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army (born in 1992) had been drafted from
the military registration and enlistment office of Armenia’s town of
Echmiadzin. The local military commissar Hayk Lazarian later told
the “Human Rights in Armenia” website () that Lazarian
was killed with a shot fired by a fellow soldier. The shooter has
not been named yet.

This is the second non-combat death within the Armenian armed forces
within a space of two weeks. Also, earlier this week, media and online
social networks disseminated a video material telling about how a
serviceman identified as Hovhannes Vardanyan ended up in a madhouse
after serving 14 months in the armed forces. The Military Prosecutor’s
Office has already instituted a criminal case in connection with this
footage on the hallmarks of a penal code article dealing with abuse
of power, stretch of authority or inaction.

Armenia’s human rights activists estimate that since the cessation
of hostilities in Karabakh in 1994, as many as 1,500 young men have
died while serving in Armenian armed forces. In contrast, throughout
the 1992-1994 war, about 6,000 combatants were killed on the Armenian
side. So far authorities have refused to disclose the statistics of
army casualties in peacetime.

A number of human-rights organizations on Tuesday issued a statement,
calling unacceptable torture and violence against soldiers and attempts
to cover up such cases. They also demanded concrete steps to combat
hazing and remedy the general atmosphere within the army ranks.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress