Are you Giving Ranks for Increasing the Number of Murders in the Army?

On the occasion of the Declaration of Independence of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, promoted to general and lieutenant general the military prosecutor of Lori Garrison, Tevos Mirzabekyan, Deputy Defense Minister, Vladimir Gasparyan, Deputy Chief of Staff, Valeri Grigoryan, President of the Military Academy after V. Sargsyan, Martin Karapetyan, Deputy Minister for Arms, Abrahamyan. 

For what services to their country are they being rewarded when the homicides of privates and contractors continue to happen in the Army and there is a wave of public grievance and the question of the president’s resignation is being raised because of the situation in the army? 

These questions are raised by the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor along with several other issues of public interest.  In particular, how many graduates the Military Academy, which is considered the workshop of educating military officers, has had in the last five years, and how many of them still continue serving in the Army.  (1200-1300 according to our information)  Is the 34-year-old Artyom Ambatyan, appointed Regimental Commander of Vanadzor Duts, one of the first alumni of the Academy (they were called brotherhood or “bratva” of 12) who graduated with Grisha Khachaturov, son of Chief of Staff, Yuri Khachaturov? Weren’t there any rumors that Artyom Smbatyan was forcing soldiers to take loans from the bank under their name and give him the money? There is also information that Valeriy Mirzabekyan, Military Prosecutor of Lori Garrison is the son-in-law of the head of the Control Service of the RA President’s Staff, Hovsepyan. 

HCAV office is seeking clarification from the Office of President and the Ministry of Defense.

Source: “Zhamanak” Daily
11 October, 2011