Tense Situation in Anti-Corruption Court Regarding the Chemists' Battalion Case

A tense situation has arisen in the Anti-Corruption Court. Today's closed-door session regarding the Chemists' Battalion case was supposed to include the questioning of former Chief of Staff Onik Gasparyan, but the court meeting has been postponed due to the involvement of a new defense attorney, which has resulted in parents expressing their outrage. Initially, they attempted to prevent the doors from opening and are now refusing to leave the courtroom.

The criminal case pertains to the events of October 21, 2020, in Kovsakan (Zangelan), when a group of 62 servicemen from the Chemists' Battalion became encircled. Out of the servicemen, 40 were killed, captured, or went missing, with only 22 managing to exit the encirclement.

Four military personnel are on the defendant’s bench: former Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Andranik Makaryan, the commander of the aforementioned battalion Arsen Abgaryan, the chief of the battalion staff Sargis Kulakchyan, and the head of the battalion’s replenishment division Ellada Harutyunyan. Andranik Makaryan is accused of inaction in the face of authority during martial law, Arsen Abgaryan of inaction and negligence regarding service, Sargis Kulakchyan of aiding inaction by authority, and Ellada Harutyunyan of committing official forgery.