Armenian Soldier Beaten by Higher Ranking Officer Left ‘Unrecognizable,’ Relative Says

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has opened criminal proceedings relating to the beating of a 19-year-old soldier by a higher ranking officer in one of the military units of the Armenian Armed Forces, the law enforcement agency reported Friday, November 13.

Civil Society Institute NGO submitted a report on the incident two days ago, stating that soldier Arthur Hakobyan who was drafted into the army in January, 2015, has sustained severe psychological trauma as a result of being subjected to violence and was taken to the Yerevan Garrison Hospital.

“Preliminary investigation has found that Hakobyan had been admitted to the military unit's infirmary for treatment five times during his service. By order of the unit commander, on November 11 the soldier was sent to the Zangezour Garrison Hospital for examination and treatment and was taken therefrom to the psychiatric department of the Yerevan Garrison Hospital,” officials said.

The Committee added that, as reported by a relative of the conscript, Hakobyan was subjected to beating on the evening of November 6 by an officer at his military unit. The law enforcement, however, does not specify whether anyone has been arrested or charged in connection with the incident.

Speaking to local Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Arthur Hakobyan's aunt, Edita Harutyunyan, said the conscript was beaten because of a trip to the store.

“Arthur and a friend went out to buy cigarettes in the evening; however they were spotted by officers at the doors of the military unit. His friend ran away, but Arthur did not manage to. He was beaten, and the blows were mostly to the head. When I saw Arthur in the hospital, I could hardly recognize him. He did not even remember be; he's lost his memory. He kept saying, 'Jivan beat me, Jivan hurt me.' But he can't remember how many people attacked him,” the aunt said. 

Harutyunyan told the paper that neither the military unit leadership nor the hospital informed the conscript's family about the incident. If it weren't for fellow soldiers, she said, the family would still not know where Arthur was.