"I Give You 3 Days, If You Don’t Respond, I Will Humiliate You in the Worst Ways": Parents of Palyan Reveal Horrifying Details

Six months ago, the parents of 19-year-old Palyan Poghosyan, who perished in a fire at a military post in Syunik, are convinced that if those responsible for their son's death had been punished, there wouldn't have been 15 casualties. News.am spoke with them.

Private Palyan Jivani Poghosyan, a conscript soldier, was hospitalized with second-degree thermal burns at the Goris military hospital on July 17. On the same day, he was transferred by ambulance to the National Center of Burns. Despite doctors' efforts, Palyan Poghosyan passed away on July 26.

The tragic fire in Gegharkunik that took the lives of 15 service members has rekindled the grief of the Poghosyan family. Palyan sustained burns from a fire that broke out due to a stove in the wagon where soldiers rested at the post.

His mother, Galya Ayvazyan, shared horrific details of the incident. She said her son and three other service members were trapped in the wagon until the duty officer arrived and opened the door. After that, her son remained at the post for five hours with severe burns, without medical assistance. Fellow soldiers, who sustained lighter injuries, extinguished the flames on Palyan's body with water and dirt.

“They couldn't get through on the radio; they waited for daylight. Thus, they waited until morning, from 6:30 to 7:00, with my son’s burned body exposed to the cold until help arrived. My son was taken to the Sisian hospital by ‘Willis’; they alleviated his pain and transferred him to Yerevan. He walked to the hospital himself—he was strong and very physically fit,” his mother recounted.

It was only about ten hours after the incident that Palyan was transferred to the burn center. Sixty percent of his body was burned, with 20 percent of his airways affected. After ten days of fighting for his life, the young man died. His parents believe that their son could have been saved if he had been taken to the hospital on time and evacuated quickly by helicopter.

Neither the Ministry of Defense nor the local military recruitment office informed Palyan’s parents about his injuries; it was only two days later that fellow soldiers called them.

A criminal case has been initiated regarding Palyan Poghosyan's death under the same article of negligence that resulted in the fire claiming 15 young lives. Six months later, there are still no defendants, and the forensic examination results have yet to be disclosed. The parents blame the duty officer Karen Kyaramyan for failing to fulfill his responsibilities and hold the authorities accountable.

Palyan's father has run out of patience. He demands a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan: “Answer my question; I give you three days. If you do not respond, I will block the road and humiliate you in the worst ways,” he stated.

Spokesman for the Investigative Committee, Gor Abrahamyan, announced that a criminal case was initiated on July 17, 2022, based on Article 532, part 1 of the Criminal Code (violating rules related to handling weapons or military property creating greater danger). Palyan and three others have been recognized as victims.

“During the preliminary investigation, decisions have been made to conduct fire-technical, forensic medical, and forensic material examinations, but the results have not yet been obtained. Personnel conducting military duty at the combat position, fellow soldiers, and doctors from the Goris military hospital have been interrogated,” Abrahamyan noted. According to him, there are currently no individuals with procedural status as defendants. The presence of persons who may have committed the alleged crime will be clarifiable after obtaining the examination results and conducting subsequent investigative activities.