Murder Discovered After 19 Years in the Military

The Military Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia has uncovered the case of the murder of conscript soldier Nairi Isakhanyan, which occurred in April 2005. This was reported by the Investigative Committee.

On April 11, 2005, around 02:40, Nairi Isakhanyan, a conscript soldier stationed at military unit N, was found near the canteen's stairs in the guard post area with two gunshot wounds to the forehead. He was immediately transported by the military command to Goris City Hospital, where it was determined that he had died.

On the same day, a criminal case was initiated. Although criminal prosecution had been opened in May 2005 against a fellow soldier, identified as V.A., the case was suspended on September 5 of the same year due to insufficient evidence to support the charges.

On May 29, 2023, a relevant decision was made to resume the criminal proceedings. Based on newly revealed circumstances, on August 8, 2023, the Prosecutor General of Armenia decided to revoke the previous decision regarding the charges against V.A. that had been established in September 2005.

Through extensive investigative measures conducted by the Military Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee, it was established that on March 29, 2005, a dispute occurred involving conscript soldiers from the rifle battalion at military unit N. V.A. erroneously assumed that Nairi Isakhanyan was providing information to law enforcement through a relative associated with a staff member of the Goris Division of the Armenian Ministry of Defense, leading V.A. to accuse Isakhanyan of informing the authorities.

On April 10, 2005, around 17:00, V.A. witnessed a conversation between Isakhanyan and the aforementioned staff member near the lineup area. Later that day, between 20:00 and 22:00, motivated by a desire to assert false authority among fellow servicemen, V.A. approached the guard post at the permanent station and labeled Isakhanyan as a "snitch." Isakhanyan retaliated, demanding that V.A. speak with him about the issue after he completed his service.

Hours later, on April 11, between 02:20 and 03:00, V.A. returned to the guard post and, driven by a desire for self-affirmation and under the influence of hooligan motives, intentionally fired two rounds from an AK-74 type rifle towards Isakhanyan, unlawfully depriving him of life.

Based on the sufficient evidence gathered, V.A. has been formally charged under Article 104, Part 2, Point 10 of the former Criminal Code of Armenia, corresponding to Article 155, Part 2, Point 12 of the current Criminal Code. The investigation has been completed, and the materials of the criminal case, along with the accusatory conclusion, have been sent to the supervising prosecutor for the purpose of discussing the referral of the case to court.

Note: The accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law in accordance with the procedures established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia.