Armenian law-enforcers arrest first sergeant of military post where three conscripts were allegedly killed by their fellow serviceman

YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. The Investigative Committee of Armenia announced today the arrest of the first sergeant of a military post where three conscripts were allegedly killed by their fellow serviceman last week.

The bodies of three 19-year-old conscripts with gunshot wounds were found on August 19 at a military post in the south-eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the south-eastern province of Syunik. The news was followed by speculation that the soldiers might have been killed by Azerbaijani commandos. However, these suspicions were dismissed by the Ministry of Defense. It said based on the preliminary information there was no indication that the incident was connected with any attack by the Azerbaijani military.

According to the Investigative Committee, the investigation has already revealed a number of important circumstances of the incident. It said the first sergeant was arrested on suspicion of deliberately instigating the death of a serviceman and committing violent acts of a sexual nature against a colleague.

The first sergeant arrested on August 22 is charged with ‘murder of two or more persons."

According to the official data, out of 44 army deaths reported in Armenia since the beginning of this year 35 were non-combat deaths.

A suspect or accused of an alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to a court ruling that enters into legal force, in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia. --0--