Nagorno-Karabakh: Jehovah's Witness sentenced to 2.5 years for military service evasion

Karen Arutyunyan, a resident of Nagorno-Karabakh and a member of the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses, was sentenced to 2.5 years' imprisonment for refusing to take his regular military service on the pretext of his religious beliefs.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Karen Arutyunyan was summoned to the Askeran Military Commissariat to undergo his regular military service. On November 28, 2011, he failed to appear at the collection point. The Prosecutor's Office of Nagorno-Karabakh initiated a criminal case; and the young man was arrested.

As reported by the Prosecutor's Office of Nagorno-Karabakh, the court of the first instance of the Askeran District considered Arutyunyan's case on December 30 and sentenced him to 2.5 years of imprisonment. After sentencing, Arutyunyan was sent to the prison in the city of Shusha.

The Defence Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Movses Akopyan said at the final press conference that over the past five years Karen Arutyunyan was the only refusal from regular military service.

"Many years ago there was also one case, where a member of a religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses refused to take his military service; and he was punished under the law," said the Minister. "It's an extremely rare case in the Defence Army of Karabakh that young people state at the very start of their service about their religious beliefs. In such cases, we usually hold explanations with them; and the problem is usually settled. Then, these guys take the oath and serve in good faith."

Mr Akopyan added that in the coming years the law "On Alternative Military Service" would not be introduced in the Army of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Earlier, Karen Ogandjanyan, the head of the human rights organization "Helsinki Initiative-92", said that his organization had not been dealing with the problems of religious communities for many years, but he would like to see the alternative military service in Nagorno-Karabakh.