Already 2 months have passed since the death of military serviceman Aram Mkrtchyan who underwent beatings. So far during the investigation it has not been revealed who is the real responsible person for the death of the military serviceman. Instead investigation of the case was transferred from one body to another one. 

As a reminder, on August 28 at 6-6:45 in the morning Andok Gasparyan, commander of Vayk division of the army cruelly bit servicemen Aram Mkrtchyan who was in service for 3 months, villager of Verin Getashen village of Gegharkunik marz. The boy was transported to the military central hospital of the Ministry of Defense, where he was operated on, but the doctors were not able to save his life. On September 1 the serviceman died. 

On August 28 RA Ministry of Defense the 8^th garrison investigation department brought a criminal case against Andok Galstyan under RA Criminal Code Article 375 2-nd part (Abuse of power, transgression of authority, which resulted in grave consequences). The next day captain Galstyan was arrested. The officer has confessed his fault; however he asked for implementation of forensic medical examination of the beaten young man and proved that 18 year old man had died as a result of his beatings.

Later, on September 17 mayor of the same division of the army was arrested. The pre-trial investigation revealed that the latter, being the deputy of the regiment commander, and on the day of the incident being the acting official for the regiment commander, first started beating the military serviceman causing corporal injuries.

According to the information given to the serviceman's parents on August 28 after the "Get up" order, during morning running Aram Mkrtvchyan fell behind for several steps, which did not like Mamikon Vardanyan, deputy of the regiment commander, and he bit on the right part of Aram's head, then by foot on his stomach, swore at him and said "Run, reach the line!". Then mayor Vardanyan told the commander captain of the company Andok Galstyan "Come here, look after them". Andok Galstyan understood him in his own way. First he approached Aram, and said "Yet you will see", then bit the serviceman cruelly, remaining without any attention for some time Aram Mkrtchyan lost his consciousness.  

Two servicemen finding Aram in that state took him to the medical emergency room. However, here, they were not able to bring him to the consciousness. After that the soldier was taken to Vayk hospital, from where to the military hospital, where he was operated on, but unfortunately, they were not able to save his life.

Now investigation body must clarify together with the experts, whose beating was fatal for Aram, Andok Galstyan's or Mamikon Vardanyan's, as the beating resulted in tragic consequences for the serviceman. For this crime at least imprisonment of several years is envisioned for the criminal, whereas the Articles brought forward during preliminary investigation do not convey the whole crime according to the dead soldier's parents.

The victim's relatives do not agree with the accusations and demand for strengthening the punishment, as the above mentioned Articles of the Criminal Code suppose grave consequences as a result of inaction of the official, but this case concerns death. However, the accusation has not been re-qualified yet.

"For us that Article is absurd. If the preliminary investigation reveals that the cruel beating was done for three times, we will consider it as an attempt of cruel murder, and in that case the conviction should be re-qualified", said the dead soldier's cousin, Norayr Norikyan.

Instead, the president of the court of first instance of Ararat and Vayots Dzor regions judge Levik Poghosyan made a decision of changing the preventive measure of detention applied to Mamikon Vardanyan to the preventive measure of bail demanding from the latter to pay AMD 800.000. RA Military Prosecutor's Office has appealed the decision of the court of first instance, and by the decision of the Appellate Court preventive measure of detention was reinforced.

But Aram Mkrtchyan's father Voskan Mkrtchyan expressed hesitation when talking with us that Mamikon Vardanyan all the time tries to evade responsibility.

"Just from the court room Mamikon Vardanyan moved to the administrative placement of the Central department of Military Police. Then he was moved and kept in Kanaz hospital for several days with the heart problem. Then remaining there for 7-8 days he was moved to Vardashen isolator", tells Voskan Mkrtchyan.

Aram's relatives found strange another circumstance too. It has already been several days since the proceedings of the case was moved from the 8^th garrison investigation department from the Ministry of Defense  to the department of the case of special importance of the same service. The victims' relatives were surprised not that much of the change of preliminary investigation body as of the fact that the case was moved on the basis of Mamikon Vardanyan's and his attorney's request.

"There were two requests in the application- a suggestion was made for rejection of the investigator and the supervising prosecutor, the other one was to move the case proceedings to the department of the cases of special importance", says victim's father.

So far the victim tries to understand what aim is pursued by the deputy commander of the regiment who is convicted for beating the soldier cruelly, by moving the preliminary investigation of the case from one body to another one. But Mkrtchyan's family is sure that he pursues self-interested aims.  

"Mamikon Vardanyan having different types of sponsors, tries to escape criminal responsibility by any means", Voskan Mkrtchyan told us. He also pointed out that the case had been submitted to the investigator Arayik Babayan for several days, but the new investigation body according to the victim has not implemented any investigative action so far. According to Voskan Mkrtchyan investigative action had not been carried out by Voskan Mkrtchyan as well, the case was delayed because of health problems of the previous investigator.

 Thus, the investigation continuing for more than 2 months has not given an answer which officer is responsible for 18 year old young man's death.

"Many circumstances of this case are still blurred, but one thing is clear both commanders; the commander of the regiment, and the commander of the company has beaten the child cruelly, which resulted in the child's death", says the serviceman's father, and adds that they still continue believe in the justice.

Nelly Danielyan

On behalf of the Editor, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan has not condemned this crime publicly, but has told at one of his interviews "Corresponding case proceeding will be carried out. The officer is arrested and will be brought to justice according to the law. This issue is condemned in the army and is reached to the last commander of the platoon and the non-commissioned officer, depending on the case proceedings we will condemn this crime publicly too".