Defense Minister Fires Leadership at Military Academy

Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian

YEREVAN (ArmInfo)—Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian has ordered the dismissal of chief personnel at the Vazgen Sarkisian Military Academy after a cadet, Haykaz Barsegyan, was found hanged from a chin-up bar at the local sports ground.

According to ArmInfo, the Head of the Academy, Major General Martin Karapetyan, has submitted his resignation, which Defense Minister Ohanian has accepted. The Minister is firing other staff in leadership positions at the Academy.

The body of Haykaz Barseghyan was found hanged at a sports ground at his military unit on Jan. 29. Military investigators have opened a criminal case, in which four cadets from the Academy have been arrested and are facing murder charges.

On Jan. 31, Ohanian called a meeting over Barseghyan’s murder. Looking into the case, the Minister said that crime was a result of “ill-natured relations and activity of separate officers and negligence of duties by them.” Ohanian said the murder of the cadet was “an insult to the men who guard the country’s borders day and night.”