Learning That Soldiers Died, Orders Given to Spread Panic: Verdict

The deputy commander for moral and psychological work of the Defense Ministry’s N Army Corps and the deputy chief of staff of the N military unit have been sentenced to 4 years, 9 months and 11 days, and 4 years, 10 months and 6 days of imprisonment, respectively, by the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Province on December 27, 2024. This was reported by the Prosecutor's General Office.

It should be noted that on August 29, 2023, the prosecutor confirmed the indictment against the aforementioned individuals and handed over the case materials to the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Province.

The criminal proceedings investigated by the Investigative Committee revealed that the deputy chief of staff of the N military unit learned that on October 19, 2020, the commander of the N military unit, the deputy commander of the same unit, the commander of the 3rd battalion, and 35 servicemen from the same battalion were surrounded and killed during hostilities in the vicinity of the village of Daghtumas in Artsakh.

On the same day, the deputy chief of staff of the N military unit summoned the commander of the 2nd battalion and the deputy commander of the 3rd battalion to the headquarters of the N military unit located in the village of Khndzoresk, where they ordered to spread panic among the servicemen of the N military unit, so that the soldiers would refuse to act with weapons during the combat.

The commander of the 2nd battalion and the deputy commander of the 3rd battalion, realizing that the order was illegal, did not disclose such information to any of the subordinate servicemen.

On August 24, 2023, a public criminal prosecution was initiated against the deputy commander for moral and psychological work of the Defense Ministry’s N Army Corps and the deputy chief of staff of the N military unit under part 2 of Article 380 of the Criminal Code, adopted on April 18, 2003 (preparation for refusal to act with weapons during combat by a group of persons in prior agreement).

Taking into account Article 84 of the Criminal Code, the court did not apply punishment conditionally to the defendants, establishing a probation period of 1 year. After receiving the judicial act, the Prosecutor's Office will file an appeal regarding the punishment.