Armenian Deputy Minister Explains Why Recent Army Deaths Classified as Suicides

In a televised interview on Friday, RA Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Gasparyan spoke of the recent string of non-combat deaths in the army, most of which the ministry initially claims are suicides.

“A criminal case is launched on those on the basis of those characteristics which are seen immediately after the incident. If they launched a criminal case for murder [but] then it turned out it was a suicide, the same accusations would be heard that see, they reduced [the charge of] murder, turned it into suicide. [A charge of] suicide can be changed to murder during the investigation. Believe me, the questions would be much tougher and the number of demonstrators would be greater if a criminal case on murder grounds was launched and then it became re-classified to suicide,” he said.