Community Leaders Assisted in Evading Military Exercises Through Official Forgery, NSS Reports

The National Security Service of Armenia has reported that as a result of operational and investigative measures, it has been revealed that on September 27, 2020, in connection with the war unleashed by the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh, the Armenian government declared martial law and ordered general mobilization across the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia.

In October 2020, the territorial subdivision of the recruitment and mobilization service of the Ministry of Defense sent notifications to six conscripts registered in the communities of Aygeshat, Haytagh, Aragats, Voskehat, and Mrgasavan in the Armavir region regarding their attendance in military exercises.

According to the NSS, the respective community leaders, as public officials, were authorized under paragraph 1 of Article 40 of the Law on Local Self-Government to maintain the register of military conscripts in accordance with the law, present lists concerning them, and report data regarding their deregistration from the community, employment, and dismissal to the territorial military commissariat. They were also responsible for participating in the organization of drafts, mobilizations, and training gatherings, as well as ensuring the legal regime of martial law.

However, for personal motives or group interests, they compiled and submitted six official documents of legal significance to the relevant subdivision of the Ministry of Defense, falsely attesting that these six individuals had supposedly been absent from the Republic of Armenia. These actions aided the individuals who received notifications in evading military exercises during the martial law period, despite the absence of legal grounds established by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia to be exempt from that duty.

A criminal case has been initiated in the investigative department of the National Security Service concerning the alleged official forgery, evading military exercises during martial law, and aiding others in evading military exercises under Articles 314, 327, and 38-327 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

Note: A suspect or defendant in the alleged crime shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia and by a legally binding court judgment.