Fellow Servicemen Arrested Over Death of Armenian Soldier

Six Armenian soldiers have been taken into custody as part of a criminal investigation looking into the death of Nagorno-Karabakh defense army soldier Narek Patatanyan, according to a statement issued on Friday by Armenia's Investigative Committee. As previously reported by the press service of the NKR defense ministry, Patatanyan died on September 16 from a gunshot wound to the head. 

Patatanyan's fellow soldiers – privates H. Shahmuradyan, H. Aleksanyan, V. Vardanyan, G. Khukasyan, G. Musikyan and lieutenant L. Sargsyan – were arrested for a range of serious criminal offences including assault, extortion, breach of combat duty rules and regulations, violence against a subordinate, and abuse of power. None of the suspects, however, are facing a murder or a suicide incitement charge.