Clarification from the Investigative Committee Regarding the Statement of Parents of Deceased Soldiers

On October 31, 2019, during a session of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, parents of soldiers who died during non-combat operations raised concerns about violations of their rights. The parents reported that the criminal cases regarding the deaths of their sons have not been reviewed by the public monitoring working group established in the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

In response to this issue, we clarify that in accordance with the working procedure developed between the Investigative Committee of Armenia and civil society organizations, the group examines cases of deaths of servicemen caused during peacetime that have been the subject of terminated or suspended criminal investigations.

Considering that the criminal cases regarding the deaths of the parents’ sons, who expressed their dissatisfaction in Parliament yesterday, have neither been terminated nor suspended, they currently cannot be subjected to examination by the public monitoring working group.

It is worth mentioning that the public monitoring working group does not have a chair and the main function of the Investigative Committee within this group is to provide information regarding criminal cases that are being studied by the representatives of civil organizations who are members of the group.

Previously, an agreement was signed between the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia and civil organizations to create a public monitoring working group aimed at revealing possible omissions during the preliminary investigation of individual criminal cases regarding deaths during military service, addressing public interest concerning disputed circumstances, and eliminating various interpretations of those circumstances.

The objectives of the public monitoring working group are: 1) to discuss individual criminal cases of deaths of servicemen during military service, where the thoroughness and objectivity of the investigations conducted by the investigatory body are questioned by various representatives of society, to compile conclusions based on the study and to submit recommendations concerning the collection of evidence and conducting other investigative and procedural actions through the legal successors of the victims. 2) If necessary, based on separate conclusions derived from the study of criminal cases, to draft analyses drawing the attention of the Investigative Committee to the general systemic shortcomings, omissions, and violations that occurred during the investigation of crimes, and to propose possible solutions to these issues, including through legal reforms,” the statement from the Investigative Committee reads.