Epress.am News from Armenia
On this day five years ago, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan promised the parents of soldiers who died during military service in non-combat conditions that then newly-appointed Military Prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan would deal with the criminal cases into the soldiers' deaths, as well as ensure that the investigation process is thorough and fair.
Today, the parents of the dead soldiers held a protest in front of the presidential residence, demanding that Sargsyan either fulfill his promise or admit that the cases are going to be left unsolved.
The protesters pointed out that during these five years no positive development has been recorded in the investigation of either of the cases: “Let your president come down and fulfill his promise. Is he man enough to admit that he is unable to keep his word? To admit that it were his [RA Army] commanders and generals who slaughtered our kids. He is your president, not ours. If he were our president, he would have met us and he would have seen the reasons for these mothers' suffering and struggle,” Gohar Ohanjanyan, mother of Tigran Ohanjanyan who died in the Armenian army in 2007, said, addressing police officers.
Law enforcement officers, unresponsive to the parents' words, urged the protesters to leave the territory, stating that they violated the law by blocking the entrance to the residence and hindering the work of the office.
“What's this law you're speaking of? Does it only work for you and hooligans? Why doesn't this law punish our sons' murderers, and why hasn't anyone been held responsible to date? We won't leave until Serzh Sargsyan comes down and gives us an answer,” Irina Ghazaryan, mother of Arthur Ghazaryan who died during military service in 2010, said.
Police officers, however, formed a human chain along the gates of the president's residence and pushed the protesters away from the area.
Details in the video below: