Negligent Attitude During War: Investigative Committee on Tiran Khachatryan's Case

The negligence exhibited by a former high-ranking official of the RA Armed Forces during military operations has led to severe consequences, reports the Investigative Committee.

According to the investigation department of especially important cases of the Military Investigative Main Directorate of the RA Investigative Committee, factual data has been obtained indicating that former high-ranking official T.K., during the state of emergency declared by the RA government on September 27, 2020, was appointed as the commander of the Southern Group of Forces, pursuant to a combat order from the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. During the period from October 7 to 17, 2020, he demonstrated a negligent attitude toward the performance of his official duties by failing to create a command post for the Southern Group of Forces, which should have included all its components. Furthermore, during combat operations, he did not completely carry out several actions characteristic of command, which carelessly led to serious consequences.

Specifically, his actions resulted in the failure to protect the military front of the Armed Forces, undermined the command system of forces, disrupted the execution of the assigned combat mission, and allowed the adversary to exploit the created situation, unimpeded seizing a strategic height, breaking through the existing front, and in another instance, circumventing allied units and launching an assault, thereby gaining control over the territories entrusted to the group's defense.

On January 3, 2025, public criminal proceedings were initiated against T.K. under the third part of Article 376 of the Criminal Code adopted on April 18, 2003 (negligence in service). On January 4, 2025, T.K. was arrested to be presented before the court. On the same day, a request was filed with the Yerevan City General Jurisdiction Court of First Instance to apply detention as a preventive measure against him. On January 5, 2025, the court granted the request and applied detention as a preventive measure against T.K.