Armenia: four servicemen detained in connection with contract officer's death

Within the criminal case on the fact of death of Artak Nazaryan, a contract officer, initiated by the military prosecutor's office under Article 110 of the Criminal Code (incitement to suicide), four militaries have been detained: an officer and three regular soldiers.

According to the statement of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia, captain Akop Khorenovich Manukyan, deputy commander of battalion 1 of Military Unit No. 21127, and regular soldiers Mkhitar Manvelovich Mkhitaryan, Adibek Grachevich Ovannisyan and Arut Kirakosovich Kirakosyan were detained as suspects of committing a crime.

Captain Akop Manukyan was detained on suspicion of excess of his official powers, namely, of beating lieutenant Artak Nazaryan and of humiliation his honour and dignity (part 2, Articles 375 of the Criminal Code of Armenia).

Private soldiers Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, Adibek Ovannisyan and Arut Kirakosyan were detained on suspicion of applying violence to Nazaryan and humiliation of his honour and dignity (part 2, Articles 358).

Let us remind you that early in the morning on July 27, lieutenant Artak Nazaryan (born in 1979) was lost when on his combat watch. According to the official version of the MoD, the contract officer committed suicide by shooting into his mouth from his firearm.

Experts of the forensic-medical examination used the wording "the character of the death was not defined"; however, at external examination of the body experts revealed numerous traces of violence, in particular, bruises on the face and hands. According to the conclusion of judicial doctor Adamyan, all the injuries had been received during his life - within six hours before death.

As reported earlier, Nazaryan's relatives do not believe the official version of suicide and think that it is an attempt to conceal the real reasons of the lieutenant's death.