OMBUDSMAN ASSESSES SITUATION IN THE MILITARY
Tert.am
26.03.12
After unveiling its report on the 2011 developments in the justice
sector, the Human Rights Defender’s office has presented the its
assessments on the situation in the military.
The report, prepared by Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan, highlights the
shortcomings and problems in the Defense Ministry’s activities,
as well the positive progress observed in the past year.
Shortcomings and problems identified
Some cases of deaths occurred in the RA Armed Forces were conditioned
by the problems resulting from non statutory relations and insufficient
effectiveness of the prevention measures undertaken by officer
personnel.
Some officers serving in the RA Armed Forces expressed their desire
to denounce the agreement of military service; however, supreme
commanders made unreasonable delay in the process and in some cases
a differentiated approach was displayed towards the officers.
Numerous complaints were received from servicemen concerning the fact
that the servicemen without any disciplinary penalty were not released
from service after the 24 months service prescribed by the law which
was reasoned by different justifications not deriving from the law.
Persons having service postponement because of health condition were
forced to appear for the second examination earlier than the period
of postponement.
By the decisions of the Central Military-medical Commission under
the Ministry of Defense 500 servicemen were recognized as unfit
for military service and were early discharged. Such a number of
early discharged servicemen testifies to the fact that military
commissariats were unsuccessful in efficient organization of detailed
medical examination when conscripting into the military service.
The compulsory military service in the Central Apparatus of the RA
Ministry of Defense was carried out by uncertainty of a number of
conditions and criteria of the military service that is being carried
out in the military station close to populated area. In some cases
these conditions were breached.
Compulsory military servicemen’s relocation to the Central and Garrison
Military Prosecutor’s offices for continuation of the service included
corruption risks: existence of compulsory military service in these
bodies in not acceptable.
The measures undertaken by the management of the Ministry of
Defense towards preventing corrupted enrichment of state officials
in the system of the Ministry were not sufficient. Existence of such
corruption phenomena considerably threatens the productivity of the
Ministry’s activities and contributes to the increase of human rights
violations made by this state body.
The issue of housing conditions of many servicemen remained unresolved.
Positive developments
In 2011, Ministry of Defense Hotline received about 1370 calls,
of which 650 were set in process and received a positive solution;
the remaining 720 were registered as a false alarm.
The Ministry of Defense built and rebuilt about 5 residential
buildings, in the result about 210 soldiers were provided with the
service apartments (about 90 servicemen in the city, and about 120
servicemen in the regions).
According to official data, in 2011 the death cases were significant
reduced in the RA Armed Forces as compared to previous years.
A number of military barracks, medical centers, canteen buildings,
etc. were renovated in compliance with typical structures.
In 2011 in order to exclude non-statutory relationship, the following
methodological guidelines have been developed by the Defense Minister
and delivered to troops: special message “Commander is solder’s best
friend”, methodological guidelines “For immediate increase of the
fighting spirit and alertness of the Armenian Army”, “For immediate
increase of military discipline”, “For immediate increase of military
discipline and prevention of emergency cases and accidents”. The
explanatory work for military units and discussions with participation
of staff and commanders were carried out, as well as methodological
guide “Crimes against Military Subordination Order and Statutory
Relations between Servicemen” was prepared and delivered to the troops.
In October 2011, the Defense Minister, the Military Prosecutor and
the Human Rights Defender had a working meeting to discuss issues
connected with struggle against crimes and human rights protection
in the Armed Forces which resulted in the creation of a group working
to prevent crimes in the RA Armed Forces.
In 2011 the handbook “On Human rights and Fundamental Freedoms of
the Armed Forces Personnel” was translated with the support of the
OSCE Office in Yerevan and the “Human Rights in the Armed Forces”
training program was developed.
Before the introduction of the course in the Armed Forces and
military educational institutions, with the support of the OCSE
Office in Yerevan lectures on human rights in the Armed Forces and
their protection mechanisms were delivered to all military units and
military educational institutions of the RA Ministry of Defense;
deputies of the heads of military units and stations, lawyers and
other specialists were present at the lectures.
With the support of the OCSE Office in Yerevan the draft of the
handbook “Leadership in the Armed Forces’ was developed which aims
at the development of the relations between the personnel of the
Armed Forces, establishment of new management methods and means and
prevention of non-statutory relations. After analysis of the textbook
by the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces Supreme Headquarters
Staff steps will be taken for the introduction of the same course.
Working groups composed of the deputy Defense Minister and deputy head
of the Armed Forces Supreme Headquarter were sent to military units
deployed in the border of the country and remote areas, whose goal
was to personally meet with staff members as well as to make orders
aimed at strengthening the discipline and understand the moral and
psychological conditions of the servicemen.
A constructive cooperation has been underway between the Ministry of
Defense and the Human Rights Defender’s office in consideration of
complaints, solution of existing problems and in raising awareness
on human rights protection in the RA Armed Forces.
Karen Andreasyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia