Wednesday, May 6 2015 14:15

Ministry of Defence RA is bending every effort to punish to the fullest extent of the law those responsible for the death of cadet Haykaz Barseghyan, said deputy minister of Defence Ara Nazaryan at NA on May 6.

 

According to head of faction "Prosperous Armenia Party" Naira Zohrabyan, Arkadiy Barseghyan, the father of the deceased soldier, has expressed concern that Deputy Chief of the Institute's Armaments department, Colonel Zarmik Markosyan, one of the suspect's father, is trying to pull strings to put pressure both on the investigation and witnesses. Zohrabyan has mentioned that besides the suspects there were also several other cadets in the kaserne. However, the witnesses refuse to give testimony saying that they were asleep and saw nothing. "The parents believe this to be the outcome of the pressure the suspect's father has put on the cadets or their parents. They are sure that it is impossible to sleep in one room and not hear the moaning of the soldier tortured to death", she said.

 

In his turn, Nazaryan has said he has met with the parents of the murdered soldier and knows about their concerns. "Defence Ministry is monitoring the investigation process and will be consistent regarding the punishment of those responsible for the crime", he said.  According to him, the investigative bodies are operating as transparently as possible and they will not allow any sort of pressure on witnesses and their parents. "I believe that even without the witnesses' testimonies we will have enough evidences to issue a guilty verdict against the suspects", he said.

 

The body of Haykaz Barseghyan was found hanged from a chin-up bar on the sports ground at his military unit on Jan 29 morning. Chief Military Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee has opened a criminal case based on Article 104.7.2. of the Criminal Code of Armenia (murder committed by a group of persons of organized group) after relevant examination of the spot and preparation of materials.   Four cadets of the Academy have already faced murder charges: Movses Azaryan, Norik Sahakyan. Vacheh Sahakyan, Gnel Tevosyan. All the four have been arrested.