What Are the Causes of Suicides in the Army? Vardapetyan Noted

The Chief Prosecutor was unable to provide a clear answer as to whether the number of suicides in the army has increased or decreased, but emphasized that all the causes point to non-statutory relationships. This information was disclosed in the National Assembly by the Chief Prosecutor of Armenia, Anna Vardapetyan, as she addressed the statistics surrounding suicides in the military.

In response to a question from Andranik Kocharyan, the head of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defense and Security, Vardapetyan noted that she cannot just wake up and memorize statistical data immediately.

“There are numerous circumstances that lead an 18-year-old to take such a step. One claims it’s due to gambling, another says it’s because of a girl he loves, or that there is a criminal subculture in the army. We have data showing a decrease in suicides in the army before and after the war. I want to understand what changed, what has shifted, whether something has gone awry in the management of the army,” stated Andranik Kocharyan.

According to Vardapetyan, the reasons mentioned indicate non-statutory relationships: “These are the number one cause of suicides. Suicides and homicides in the army should be viewed within the same framework; they are manifestations of the same aggression. In one case, aggression is directed towards oneself, in the other, outwardly. In this respect, the army is a system that is both easy and difficult from the standpoint of discipline and management.”