Protest Action in Front of the Ministry of Defense

The parents of conscripted soldiers are holding a protest in front of the Ministry of Defense, demanding that the new service duration applies to everyone. The parents whose sons were conscripted last year insist that their children should also serve for 1.5 years. It is noted that this also pertains to those conscripted in the summer of 2025.

The parents have sent letters to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan, but have not yet received a response.

Earlier, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan responded, stating that no changes are anticipated, as the decision to reduce the service period by six months is based on calculations. He also emphasized that the legislation only applies to young people who will begin their service starting January 2026 and does not have retroactive effect.

Recall that since January 1 of this year, the mandatory military service duration has been set at one and a half years instead of the previous two years, but this change does not apply to those conscripted before this date.