Epress.am News from Armenia
The family of 18-year-old Aghasi Abrahamyan, who was serving in a military unit in Nagorno-Karabakh prior to his death under suspicious circumstances late last month, have received the results of Abrahamyan’s autopsy, reports local daily Joghovurd (“People” or “Nation”). Recall, Abrahamyan died shortly after being hospitalized with serious injuries.
The autopsy reported cause of death as being blunt cranial trauma, or an injury to the brain. Doctors say the injuries apparent on his body and to his internal organs occurred 6–24 hours prior to his death and were caused by a blunt, hard object.
Aghasi’s mother, Mrs. Gayane, told Joghovurd that the family does not agree with the autopsy report as it does not state that Aghasi’s ear was torn off and that he had a knife wound in his side. She added that they are asking all those responsible, those who brutally beat her son, to be punished.
Meri Sargsyan, a press spokesperson for the Armenian defense ministry’s investigative service, told the newspaper reporter that three senior officers and one soldier were arrested in connection with the case. Sargsyan said that in the interests of the case, the names of those accused have not been released.
The officers are being accused under RA Criminal Code Article 375 Section 1 for abuse of power and “inactivity.” If convicted, they face a term of 2–5 years’ imprisonment. The soldier, on the other hand, is charged under RA Criminal Code Article 359 Section 1 (“breach of relations… between not subordinated servicemen”).
Joghovurd notes that no one has yet been charged with murder, “although it was voiced already that the serviceman and the doctor brutally beat Aghasi Abrahamyan leading to his death.”