Seyran Ohanian: Soldier wouldn’t die if commander knew about problem

“If servicemen had informed immediately the commander about the problems in interpersonal relations, the incident – the soldier’s death could have been prevented,” Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said today during the hearings ‘Human Rights in the Armed Forces, when speaking about the death of Private Vanichka Hovakimian.

The minister said that some phenomena in both society and the army are concealed, and these problems are impossible to solve as information is not received on time because of the ‘stereotype that it is wrong to inform law enforcers and commanders’.

The body of Private Vanichka Hovakimian was found at 6:10 pm on December 10 in a military unit of Armenian Defense Ministry. He died from a gunshot wound to the jaw. The ministry’s press service said the conscript was on duty. According to preliminary information, he committed suicide. A criminal case was opened.