Armenian Defense Ministry Major General Arayik Harutyunyan Issues Statement from Prison

The former commander of the 2nd Army Corps of the Armenian Ministry of Defense, Major General Arayik Harutyunyan, has issued a statement from prison, noting that he has been unlawfully detained for a prolonged period under fabricated charges.

During the year-long judicial proceedings, he has made almost no public statements, hoping that the ongoing trial would shed light on the reality. “However, what is happening in the courtroom clearly demonstrates that the purpose of the process under the guise of trial is one: to keep me in custody at all costs and ultimately confirm the unfounded charges against me, which have already completely collapsed in court,” stated the general.

Harutyunyan emphasized that two different first-instance courts have altered his detention conditions and applied alternative measures, but the appellate court has once again detained him in gross violation of the law. According to him, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Gegharkunik Province justified his continued detention on the grounds that witnesses for the prosecution had yet to be questioned. However, during the court session on July 24, when the last three witnesses appeared, the public prosecutor requested a postponement of the hearing, claiming the need to attend some discussions, and the court accepted the motion.

“The court ignored that the witnesses had come to testify, and the rationale for keeping me in ongoing detention is solely related to their questioning. Instead, it sided with the public prosecutor and postponed the hearing. All of this leaves little room for doubt that such illegalities are carried out exclusively to keep me imprisoned,” he wrote.

It should be noted that Harutyunyan is accused of failing to take measures to ensure compliance with a command, which allegedly resulted in the Armenian Armed Forces losing the ability to withstand a surprise attack on Armenia. According to the prosecution, on May 12, 2021, Azerbaijani armed units crossed into Armenian territory in areas of Gegharkunik province, specifically the Upper Shorja, Kut, and Norabak communities, where, due to the inaction of the unit commander, no combat duty was established, and they established combat positions to control the sovereign territory of Armenia.

Based on the supervising prosecutor's decision, on December 13, 2022, criminal proceedings were initiated against A.H. under part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Armenia, which was adopted on April 18, 2003 (violation of the rules of combat duty or military service during a state of war, during war, or in combat situations).