Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 24 2007
Armenian Army: Corruption, torture and `dedovshchina’ cases burst out
[ 24 Aug 2007 16:42 ]
Corruption, torture and `dedovshchina’ (physical and psychological
abuse of new recruits in the army’ have come normal cases in Armenian
army.
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry information department told APA the 1st
corps of Armenian armed forces in Gorus region is being monitored. 10
fire-arms were lost in the corps in unidentified situation. It is
suspected that officer personnel sold the arms. Defense Minister (now
prime minister) Serge Sarkisyan ordered the Armed Forces Staff
chairman (now defense minister) Mikael Arutunyan and ministry’s
department chief Alik Mirzabekyan to conduct inspections in the 1st
corps under command of Garik Gabrielyan in March this year. This
military unit is known by the name of military criminal, former
commander Melikset Pogodyan, who took an active part during
occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Sarkisyan ordered to conduct a
careful investigation and preserve `silence’.
Arovat newspaper writes the minister feared that this fact would be
used against the authorities during election campaign. Though
Armenian defense ministry rejects the fact, it is known that the
inspections are conducted by deputy chief of armed forces staff
Enriko Apriamov, military prosecutor’s office and military police.
According to rumors the disappeared fire-arms might have seized by
Samvel Babayan, former defense minister of the toy regime in Nagorno
Karabakh.
One more example to corruption cases in military authorities of
Armenia is dismissal of commander of 4th corps, Major General Sedrak
Saroyan. Saroyan was discharged by President Robert Kocharian on 13
February due to corruption in the 4th corps.
Amnesty International human rights organization called for the
Armenian government to observe UN recommendations against torture,
investigate violence fact in army units and jails. The condition in
detention places worries Armenian Human Rights Commission. The member
of the commission, lawyer Gayk Alumyan stated that the matter is
inhuman act. He said that there is no window, nor light in the places
where detained soldiers are kept. The soldiers suffer in these dark
places. Police inspector hauled hand one of the soldiers and hit the
wounded soldier’s leg. The commission found out that the witnesses
are kept in jail until the version of investigation is asserted.
“Dedovshchina’ is daily life norm in Armenian Armed Forces. Soldier
Suren Grigoryan was conscripted after graduating law faculty.
Grigoryan served 6 months and he was beaten by a group of officers.
The soldier was injured badly and he lost his speech ability. The
soldier’s mother said that her son underwent pressures even in
hospital.
`They demanded doctors to give him a diagnosis of mental disease,’
she said.
Military Prosecutor’s Office does not recognize Grigoryan as a
sufferer, forensic medical examination refuses to assert his
injuries, and characterize the soldier as invalid. The facts
publicized by Human Rights Commission mad e a stir in Armenia.
`I am ready to do any illegality in order to protect my son from
military service,’ one of the mothers said.
After appointment of new defense minister, cases of torture and
violence in Armenian Army continue to rise. /APA/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
