Commander Arrested for Deserting Battlefield and Failing to Follow Orders

The Investigative Committee of Armenia has revealed several significant circumstances in a criminal case regarding a commander’s voluntary desertion of the battlefield and failure to execute orders.

Specifically, information has been obtained indicating that I. Vahanyan, during the aggressive war unleashed by the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh and the state of martial law declared on September 27, 2020, while holding the position of commander of a training battalion in the Artsakh Defense Army, failed to follow the direct orders of his superior during combat operations and voluntarily abandoned the battlefield. As a result, personnel from the battalion suffered casualties, sustained varying degrees of bodily injuries, and were captured, leading to severe consequences.

Based on a combination of sufficient evidence, Commander I. Vahanyan has been charged under Article 356, Part 3 (failure to follow orders) and Article 380, Part 1 (voluntary desertion of the battlefield or refusal to act with a weapon) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. He has been remanded in custody and transferred to the respective penitentiary facility of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Note: A person suspected or accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, based on a legally binding court decision.