Anahit Mkrtchyan, mother of Araik Avetisyan who was killed in one of the Vaiq province military units in 2001, has been demanding already for 9 years from the RA authorities just punishment for those guilty in the murder of her son. The mother insists that her son was killed by the commander of the unit Mher Stepanyan who was in a drunken state and shot at Araik for bringing only half of the 100 dollars confidentially defined for leave.  

"The President of the Republic who is the Supreme Commander in Chief of our army is responsible for any murder committed in the RA armed forces. And he doesn't want to listen to the mother having lost her son, doesn't want to meet her when he was the Minister of Defense when my son was killed. They know very well what happened. Why are they protecting the murderer, because he may say "I was collecting money to send to the Ministery of Defense"? He was sentenced to four years of imprisonment; he stayed in prison for two years, now he works at the same military unit as chief of staff. How can a man who committed a murder and concealed it, who was twice punished for misfeasance, come back and work in the army? Is he irreplaceable or what?" Anahit asks a rhetorical question. She says that after her son's death she met with many soldiers that served with her son and know what really happened but they are afraid to tell about in in the court because they do not trust the legal system and are afraid of requital.  

"I passed through all our instances, I have exhausted all the means, I will apply to the Eurocourt. They say "What will Eurocourt say?" I will apply and they will see," this is Anahit Mkrtchyan's last hope.  

Mary Aleksanyan