Epress.am News from Armenia
Razmik Petrosyan, a conscript of the Armenian Armed Forces who was drafted into the army in 2015, has spent 90% of his service at the military hospital because of recurrent foot problems, according to a statement issued by the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office (HCAV) Monday.
Petrosyan, as reported by HCAV, was conscripted into army service despite having serious disqualifying health conditions, including third degree flat feet, heel bursitis, which made him unable to wear standard military boots.
During the first days of service, the shoes caused open wounds to the soldier's feet and he was forced to wear slippers until he was assigned “special boots,” his mother, Margarita Ananyan, told HCAV. The new shoes, however, did not help either, she added, as they also caused Petrosyan's feet corns and calluses.
Speaking to Epress.am Tuesday, HCAV representative Arayik Zalyan said that Defense Ministry officials did not actually have legal authority to assign Petrosyan “special shoes” since there's no law stating that conscripts who are unable to wear standard army boots must continue carrying out their service wearing different shoes. The human rights organization, Zalyan added, has repeatedly and fruitlessly applied to the ministry with a request to recognize Petrosyan unfit for military service or to at least postpone his conscription until he has undergone necessary treatment.