Investigation Into Armenian Soldier’s Death Closed; Parents Yet to Receive Written Notice

Criminal investigation into the death of Valery Muradyan, a soldier of Armenia's Armed Forces who died in 2010 in non-combat conditions, was closed early last December, but the family only learned about it on February 1, 2016. Speaking to Epress.am, Muradyan's mother, Nana Muradyan, said they found out about the termination of the proceedings accidentally, when Head of the Armenian Parliamentary Commission on State and Legal Affairs Hovhannes Sahakyan provided the parents with the Armenian Investigative Committee's response to their inquiry about the circumstances of their son's death, the stage of the criminal proceedings and results.

“That's when I learned the case had been closed. It's been two months, but I have yet to receive a written notification,” Muradyan said, noting that their lawyer, Robert Revazyan, has already filed an appeal to the Investigative Committee to find out why they have not received a written notice of the case termination. She also announced her intention to challenge the decision.

“What have they been doing for 6 years? How come they suddenly decided there was no suspect and the case had to be closed? They conduct no preliminary investigation; the case is in a safe somewhere. It was closed by the same investigators who closed Tigran [Ohanjanyan’s] case. It's like they take a bunch of cases and just decide to close them,” Muradyan told Epress.am.