‘Foreign Dogs’ vs. Armenian Army: Human Rights Activist Responds to Deputy Defense Minister

I’m not from Vanadzor, I’m from Karabakh, Artur Sakunts (pictured), coordinator of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly (HCA) Vanadzor office, told Epress.am, commenting on televised joint Armenian Public Television and RA Ministry of Defense video footage aired on Saturday in which a reporter repeatedly refers to Sakunts as “that Vanadzor guy” and states that those who have publicly criticized the Armenian army are financed from abroad.

The reporter’s statements were echoed by RA Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Gasparyan, who said in a televised interview: “Some groups have made appropriate and inappropriate criticism of the army their everyday occupation. How a person’s heart can ache for the army of a country when funding and salaries are received from other countries! How a person’s heart can ache when he thinks that the more scandalous, the worse an incident, the better it is because he can make even more money! These people have no homeland, no dignity. Among them are some who have never even come close to approaching the army.

“A few days ago, I was reading one of these group’s statement in the newspaper where they are demanding this, this and that information associated with thousands of conscripts. Darlings, what other orders have your clients given, to find out from our army? Perhaps we should publish the entire list and go stand in line in front of the most motley [crew of] foreign funds?” the deputy defense minister said in particular.

Speaking to Epress.am, Sakunts said that he never watches H1 (Armenia’s Public TV channel) but hearing about the video, watched a repeat of the program.

“First, let them know that I not from Vanadzor, I’m from Karabakh,” he said laughingly. “And then, he — Vova [Vladimir] Gasparyan — has very serious issues in his appointed [position] and I would advise that he hang his head and work on all those cases which we, our office, has presented: this refers to the manners prevalent in the army, the prevailing situation, about which there have been numerous notices. He is directly responsible for these.

“Vova Gasparyan has no idea what it means to have civilian control. A few centuries ago, his remarks would have been qualified as a witch hunt, but he probably doesn’t know that this idea is already expired and no longer useful,” he said.

Sakunts added that during the the program when Gasparyan publicly declares that “those who consider the army’s officer corps and its leadership are weak are dogs,” it’s easy to imagine how the deputy defense minister speaks and relates to army draftees and subordinates.