More Charges Against Officer who Blinded Conscript in One Eye

The charges against junior officer Armen Tovmasyan, who was arrested for attacking a conscript on Dec. 14 in the dining hall of a military base in Nagorno-Karabakh, were increased on Jan. 23, senior officer with the public relations division at the RA Defense Ministry investigation service Meri Sargsyan told Epress.am today.

“RA Criminal Code Article 375 Paragraph 1 which reads ‘Abuse of power, transgression of authority or administrative dereliction, if these acts were committed for mercenary or group-interest motives, by a commander or official, and if these inflicted essential damage, is punished with imprisonment for 2-5 years’ was supplemented with Article 112 Paragraph 1, which reads ‘Infliction of willful bodily damage which is dangerous for life or caused loss of eyesight, speech, hearing or any organ, loss of functions of the organ, or was manifested in irreversible ugliness on face, as well as caused other damage dangerous for life or caused disorder… is punished with imprisonment for the term of 3 to 7 years,'” said Sargsyan.

The defense ministry spokesperson said the precautionary measure against Tovmasyan hasn’t changed and he continues to remain in detention. An investigation is underway.

Recall, Tovmasyan is accused of hitting rank-and-file soldier Narek Avetisyan, 18, with a metal chain after the latter, who had returned to the base after 14 days of duty in the field, reportedly refused to accept an assignment given by Tovmasyan. The blow struck Avetisyan’s right eye, for which he had to undergo surgery. The young soldier was first taken to the hospital in Stepanakert then moved to Yerevan.

Georgy Grigoryan, head of the Vascular Disease Department at the Ophthalmological Center named after S. Malayan, speaking to Epress.am earlier, said it was impossible to save the young boy’s eye because “there was no longer an eye.” Doctors removed Avetisyan’s right eye, placing a temporary prosthetic instead so that in future, he might try to undergo plastic surgery and have a permanent prosthetic in place. It will move, but of course, the young man will never be able to see from that eye.

Photo: Arman Veziryan