Commander of Battalion on Duty in Khtsaberd Arrested

In the framework of a criminal case being investigated by the Military Investigative Main Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, substantial investigatory and other procedural actions have been carried out based on factual data obtained during the investigation.

On December 13, 2020, during a state of emergency declared in the Republic of Armenia, it is alleged that the commander voluntarily left a combat position located in the village of Khtsaberd in the Republic of Artsakh, failed to execute an order legally issued by the commander, demonstrated negligence toward service (resulting in the capture of 62 servicemen from the battalion), and also neglected timely service without valid reasons and received bribes.

The commander of the battalion's staff, Lieutenant Colonel A.G., currently in the personnel reserve of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, has been charged under several articles of the RA Criminal Code, including Article 356, Part 3, Article 376, Part 3, Article 380, Part 1, Article 361, Part 7, and Article 311, Part 1.

The prosecuting authority has submitted a request to the court for the selection of arrest as a preventive measure, which was granted on September 14, 2023. The accused has been arrested and transferred to the relevant penitentiary institution of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case is ongoing.

Notice: The person suspected or accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedures established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, by a legally binding court decision.