19-Year-Old Son of Former Tsaghkadzor Mayor Arrested

The Military Police of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia has uncovered a case of forgery and use of medical documents to evade mandatory military service, reports Shamshyan.com.

On May 17, 2019, a criminal case was initiated under Article 325, part 1 (Forgery of documents, seals, stamps, forms, vehicle registration plates), Article 327, part 2, clause 2 (Evasion from mandatory military service), and Article 376, part 1 (Negligent attitude towards service) of the Armenian Criminal Code at the Abovyan division of the Military Police.

In connection with this case, on the same day, a resident of Hrazdan city, born in 2000, was arrested on suspicion of committing a crime under Article 327, part 2, clause 2 of the Criminal Code. On May 20, the prosecutor overseeing the pre-trial investigation took the criminal case from the investigative body and handed it over to the fourth investigative division of the Investigative Committee for further investigation, which was accepted for proceedings on the same day.

Based on sufficient evidence gathered, on May 20, the deputy military prosecutor of Yerevan made a decision to charge G.A. under Article 327, part 2, clause 2 of the Criminal Code for acquiring a forged document regarding an MRI study from an unidentified person at an unspecified time and circumstances, with the intent to use it. The document contained conclusions that were clearly inconsistent with his actual health conditions.

Subsequently, knowing that it was a forged document, he submitted it to the military commissariat and then to the central medical commission, through which he was recognized as unfit for military service and registered in the reserve, thereby evading the upcoming draft for mandatory military service.

The prosecutor overseeing the pre-trial investigation instructed to charge G.A. under Article 327, part 2, clause 2 of the Criminal Code and to petition the court of general jurisdiction in Yerevan for his arrest as a preventive measure.

In accordance with the prosecutor’s instructions, on May 21, G.A. was formally charged under the specified article. On the same day, the investigator petitioned the court of general jurisdiction in Yerevan to choose a two-month arrest as a preventive measure, which was granted. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case continues, with extensive operational, investigative, and other procedural activities being undertaken to clarify both the full circumstances of the case and the identities of other individuals involved in the crime.

According to sources, the arrested individual is Vardan Mirzoyan, the 19-year-old son of Garun Mirzoyan, the former mayor of Tsaghkadzor.