Active investigatory and procedural actions are ongoing in the Department of Investigation of Crimes against Humanity of General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee to find out all circumstances of infliction of heavy bodily damage to the officer of a military unit of RA Ministry of Defense Ara Mkhitaryan. The resident of Vayots Dzor Zaven Grigoryan was arrested.

It was earlier informed that on September 18, 2019 a resident of Shirak province, an officer of RA Ministry of Defense, unconscious, was taken to “Yeghegnadzor Medical Center” CJSC. On the same day the latter was taken to Central Clinical Hospital of RA Ministry of Defense. Pursuant to reference received from the hospital he was operated and was in critical condition.

A criminal case was initiated according to the Part 1 of the Article 112 of RA Criminal Code further investigation of which, by the instruction of the IC Chairman, is ongoing in the Department of Investigation of Crimes against Humanity of General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee. A decision was made to form an investigatory group.

In the result of investigatory actions conducted within preliminary investigation a number of circumstances of the incident were found out, one of those having committed the alleged crime was identified; he is a resident of Yeghegnadzor, born in 1991.

Through preliminary investigation it was found out that the officer had sustained the bodily injury on September 17, 2019 at about 23:40 during the argument on getting clarifications in the yard of one of the houses in Yeghegnadzor town. It was also found out that during the same argument besides Ara Mkhitaryan two more officers had also sustained bodily injuries.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against 28 year-old man according to the Part 1 of the Article 112 of RA Criminal Code and detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against him.

In the result of investigatory and procedural actions of great volume conducted within the criminal case data were also obtained on Zaven Grigoryan’s involvement in the incident. The latter was arrested on suspicion of willful infliction of heavy bodily damage to Ara Mkhitaryan’s health.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing.

Additional information about procedural decisions made on the base of the obtained evidence will be provided.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.