A bizarre incident happened at the military commissariat of Nor Nork. They issued a summons to participate in the 25-day training camp to a person who was not considered a citizen of the Republic of Armenia at that time. The person who received the summons, Eduard Haryumyan, said this in a conversation with Forrights.am. The fact that, according to Eduard, the summons to participate in training sessions was given to him as a punishment is especially noteworthy. “The man who drafted me did it on personal reasons,” he claims.
Eduard Haryumyan was a citizen of the Republic of Artsakh until August 2, 2024. However, he had applied for RA citizenship and passport. Before receiving Armenian citizenship, Eduard had plans to leave the country for a vocation and was issued an entry visa to Cyprus with his NKR passport.
“I was supposed to go to Cyprus, the tickets were already bought, but a few days ago it became clear that my passport, which has a visa, is invalid. I went to the Passport Department to get a new passport so I could cross the border. I also had to register at the military commissariat in order to take papers to the passport department. I had only one day for that. I was wearing shorts when I ran to the military commissariat, which are normal everyday clothes. I went up to the chief, he said, “Who let you enter the Military Commissariat like this, get out!” It was the Military Commissariat of Massiv district of Yerevan. I went out from the boss’s office. Downstairs, they told me that they would not give me any papers until I did not go and change my pants. I explained that I was running out of time, I won’t be able to make it,” says Eduard, explaining that he had a few hours and the next day was a holiday, the offices were closed, so he couldn’t, didn’t have time to go and change his attire.
He started to explain, negotiate in the Military Commissariat. Eduard insists that no justification has been presented to him why he cannot enter the office of the head in shorts. According to him, since he continued to fight for his rights, as a punishment, they gave him a summons to participate in the 25-day military training camp. Eduard, although not a citizen of the Republic of Armenia at that time, did not object to being taken to gatherings. However, he considers it unacceptable that it is presented as a punishment.
“I was talking with a serviceman downstairs, because the boss wouldn’t let me enter his office. He goes up to the boss, comes down and says, ‘The boss said that because you do not wear trousers, we are taking you to the 25-day training camp.’ I said, ‘You take me to the 25-day training, good, but you present it as if you are punishing me.’ And he says, Yeah because you didn’t go and put on trousers and come back.’ I said, ‘Brother, you explain to people that participating in the 25-day gatherings is an honor, not a punishment.’ It is an honor for me to participate in the 25-day gatherings, but they presented it as if they were taking me to a prison or a jaill. This is done by the military commissar, who has to present [the military training gatherns] to people in such a way that people understand that it is and honor to participate to them. Serving in the Armenian army should be an honor, but they present it as a punishment,” says Eduard, who signs and takes the summons despite the situation.
“I said that I never avoided going to gatherings. They gave me the notice, I looked and saw that it was dated August 1st. I asked, ‘Are you giving this to a RA citizen?’ He said ‘yes.’ I said, ‘I will get RA citizenship only tomorrow, on August 2nd.’ They said nothing. I sign and take that summons so that they don’t say that I refused to serve the motherland. The thing that upsets me the most is that he says, since you don’t go and change your shorts, put on pants and come back, we will send you to the 25-day military gatherings. These are the words of the boss conveyed to me by the major, who was communicating with me downstairs,” Eduard Haryumyan presented the situation.
Eduard Haryumyan went to Cyprus for summer vacation, upon his return he will report to the Military Committee to participate in the gatherings. He says that he served in Artsakh Armed Forces, and now he will serve in the RA Army.
Forrights.am asked questions about the topic to the spokesperson of the RA Ministry of Defense. In particular, we inquired on what basis a notice of participation in the gatherings was issued to a person who was not considered a citizen of the Republic of Armenia at that time, and whether there is a legal regulation that defines the dress code for entering military committees. The spokesperson has not yet answered our questions.
It should be noted that during the rule of Nikol Pashinyan, the army as a place of punishment took deeper roots. If in the past the sons of officials, oligarchs, and their relatives served in prosperous military units, far from the border and shootings, and the sons of socially disadvantaged families were on the front line, now serving in the Armenian army is presented as a severe punishment. It was Andranik Kocharyan from Pashinyan’s team who threatened the youth demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister on live TV, to take them to 25-day training camps. He organized a discussion in the National Assembly and proposed to grab them from the streets and take them to the gatherings.
Narek Kirakosyan