The Squad Commander Has Been Questioned: Lawyer on Soldier's Notable Smile and Legal Status in the Case

“We anticipated that the government’s propaganda machinery would initiate a dirty attack against the squad commander who became known through his interview from the burned military unit. Naturally, we also anticipated that they would do this through their most disgraceful hired media outlets.

Our predictions came true. Initially, these mercenaries attempted to charge the squad commander with the cheapest allegations, after which they took a piece from the interview footage where the commander is visibly emotional, struggling to hold back extreme emotions, and tried to present it in a misleading way with cheap editing. It should be noted that the slanders against the squad commander are taking place not only in the propaganda arena. More on this in due time.

I warn all the mercenaries of the authorities: I am the lawyer of the squad commander, and any actions that harm or may harm my client will receive a proportional response, and in some cases even more severe consequences,” stated Arsen Babayan, the lawyer of the squad commander of the burned barracks, on his Facebook page.

The Auroranews.am contacted Arsen Babayan to clarify whether the squad commander had been questioned and whether any charges had been brought against him. “The squad commander has been questioned from the very first day. No charges have been presented against him, nor has he been arrested,” Babayan said.

The lawyer indicated that his post referred to a moment from the well-known interview footage where a smile can be seen on the squad commander’s face, and attempts are being made to misrepresent him. It is noteworthy that this refers to the frame posted below, showing the squad commander's smile, while the lawyer describes it as cheap propaganda aimed at discrediting the commander.

As previously reported, during the press conference on the day of the incident, the squad commander addressed those responsible for the situation, stating that the weakening of the army comes from everyone—including the Chief of Staff, the Minister, and the Prime Minister. “After this, let them do whatever they want to me; I do not care. There is nothing worse than not being able to answer the parents. The investigation must be carried out to the end, and the guilty parties must be punished with the full severity of the law. We are all responsible for this mess, including you, me as an officer, and so on,” the soldier stated.

Recall that on January 19, around 01:30, a fire broke out in the barracks of the engineering company stationed in the village of Azat, Gegharkunik Province. As a result of the fire, 15 servicemen lost their lives, and 7 servicemen were injured, four of whom were discharged after receiving treatment, while three were transferred to Yerevan’s National Burn Center. Two of them are in serious condition.

Immediately after the incident, the commander of the 2nd Army Corps and seven other high-ranking military officials were dismissed from their positions.