Judicial system in Armenia is entirely corrupt, killed soldiers' mothers say

Armenia's judicial system is entirely corrupt, mothers of soldiers killed while doing their military service stated at the "Azdak" discussion club on December 17.

They said that in response to their numerous demands that the killings be investigated the Ministry of Defense advises them to turn to licensed lawyers, who charge up to 2,000 USD for their services. The killed soldiers' parents state that the Military Prosecutor's Office destroys all evidence and does not allow some witnesses to testify in court. In the opinion of representatives of the Committee for Soldiers' Protection, the principal culprits in the lawlessness in the Armenian army are President Robert Kocharian, Parliament Speaker Artur Bagdasarian, Chief Military Prosecutor Gagik Jangirian and Minister of Defense Serge Sarkisian.

The killed soldiers' parents demanded new and comprehensive investigations of their sons' murders and coverage of the trials by the "Hay Zinvor" (Armenian Soldier) weekly. They also demanded that the "Hay Zinvor" weekly and the "Zinuzh" (Armed Force) TV program come out of the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense because they provide deliberately falsified information to the public.