“We as a nation are guilty for the murders”
According to Head of the Department of Military Medicine of the RA Armed Forces Artashes Parsadanyan, 20-year old Hovhannes Vardanyan, who had been serving in the Armenian Army for a year and two months and found himself at a psychiatric hospital, had mental problems before army recruitment, but that hadn't been registered anywhere. "A1+" had an interview with Mr. Parsadanyan.
"A1+": Our goal is not to blur the army's reputation, but...Mr. Parsadanyan, how would you explain what happened to soldier Hovhannes Vardanyan?
Artashes Parsadanyan: Our youth are under the supervision of military recruitment doctors from 14 to 18 years of age. If necessary, they are sent for examinations and treatment. When they are recruited to the army at 18, they are under the supervision of the central medical commission.
"A1+": Why are you presenting this information? Is it because you are taking into account the rumors that Hovhannes Vardanyan had health problems before army recruitment? In that case, why was he recruited?
A.P.: Not only those rumors. I must say this young man had received positive results after a medical examination before army recruitment.
"A1+": Does this mean that he could serve in the army?
A.P.: Yes, he could. There was an article on his limited service, meaning the load was up to 30 kg, the permitted limit for long runs was up to 5 km and the cross was up to 1 km. He was in good hands. Neither the young man nor his parents complained about anything during military recruitment. His parent had asked to recruit his son. A year later, the commanders noticed that the young man was acting strange.
"A1+": Why didn't they take action at that moment?
A.P.: They did. On June 24, commanders and doctors isolated the soldier, taking into account changes in his behavior and sent him to an examination at the psychiatric dispensary in Stepanakert. Doctors immediately noticed his strange behavior, and two days later they moved the soldier to the central psychiatric department located at the garrison hospital in Yerevan.
"A1+": Hovhannes Vardanyan's father said one of his son's friends had called and told him that Hovhannes had had problems with the commanders. When the father called the commander to try to find out what had happened, the commander had told him not to call him anymore. How would you explain this?
A.P.: I wouldn't like to touch upon that right now since the complaint of the soldier's father is oriented toward the crime. A criminal case has been instigated, and I wouldn't like to give any commentary until the end of the preliminary inquiry. As a doctor, I can say that studies have shown that the soldier had inherited schizophrenia from his mother and that has been confirmed. There is information according to which the mother's niece also suffers from schizophrenia.
"A1+": In the video, the soldier's father shows bruises on his son's back and feet. How would you explain this? Even if he does suffer from schizophrenia, why was he recruited?
A.P.: Armenia's legislation doesn't define the types of schizophrenia for no recruitment.
"A1+": How would you explain the recent incidents and assaults that ended in disputed deaths in the army? Rumors are flying that this is a campaign against Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan.
A.P.: I don't see such a tendency. There are murders taking place and our society needs to know about them. There are also cases when the murdered are also guilty. The society hears only one side of the story.
"A1+": Murders of soldiers in peace are a fact. Who is responsible?
A.P.: We as a nation are responsible. Those cases don't just characterize the army. All defective people are recruited to the army, starting from the school and the family.
Interview by Victoria Abrahamyan
