Armenian Defense Ministry Issues Statement on Draft

The Armenian Ministry of Defense has issued a statement in response to certain publications regarding the draft and the subsequent period.

“The Ministry of Defense informs that all citizens called up for compulsory military service undergo the necessary health examinations properly before the draft, and conclusions regarding their fitness are made by competent medical commissions in accordance with the list of diseases determining the degree of fitness for military service established by the Armenian Government’s Decree No. 404-N of April 12, 2018.

At the same time, we inform that military commissariats properly inform all citizens involved in compulsory military service activities about their rights and obligations, including regarding the procedure for appealing the conclusions and decisions made about them.

As part of this process, citizens are also informed that, according to the requirements of Article 25, Part 5 of the Law on “Military Service and the Status of Military Personnel,” filing complaints regarding the activities or decisions (issued conclusions) of the republican or regional (Yerevan city) draft commissions, as well as competent medical commissions and military commissariats (military commissioners) does not suspend the execution of those decisions (issued conclusions) until they are reviewed. In accordance with Part 3 of Article 20 of the same law, violation of the duty to participate in the compulsory military service draft will result in legal liability for citizens.

To prevent undermining the draft process, which is a crucial measure for ensuring state security, and to implement it transparently and in accordance with existing legal regulations, we urge all media outlets to refrain from disseminating anonymous and unverified information regarding the medical examinations of draft-eligible citizens. We also encourage those providing such information to obtain and submit to the Ministry of Defense consent for publishing documents related to the health examinations and medical assessments of the citizen, thereby confirming the fact that the citizen has undergone the examinations properly and in accordance with the established procedures,” the statement reads.