We, the undersigned civil society organizations, express our deep concern regarding the continued deaths of servicemembers in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia under non-combat circumstances.

On 21 July 2026, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia announced that criminal proceedings had been initiated in connection with the death of a servicemember. Subsequently, on 23 July, it was reported that criminal prosecution had been initiated against fellow servicemembers on charges of negligently driving the servicemember to suicide.

In 2026 alone, eight non-combat deaths have been recorded in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. According to statements issued by the Investigative Committee, criminal proceedings have been initiated in most of these cases under the provisions of the Criminal Code relating to murder and incitement to suicide.

Servicemembers, particularly conscripts, are under the direct responsibility and care of the Republic of Armenia. The State has an obligation to safeguard their right to life and security, and to protect their dignity and honor.

However, at the highest official level, discussions of the causes of suicides have increasingly shifted responsibility away from the State’s human rights obligations and toward the alleged psychological resilience of the victims. This approach reflects an attempt to evade State responsibility while obscuring the true causes and circumstances of these deaths.

The available evidence demonstrates that violence and the humiliation of servicemembers within the Armed Forces are systemic and ongoing. Such abuse manifests not only in physical violence but also in degrading treatment, intimidation, and the prolonged abuse of official or de facto authority. Particularly alarming is the fact that hazing and other forms of violence may continue over extended periods and involve groups of servicemembers, without adequate oversight or the effective implementation of preventive mechanisms.

The long-term practice of subjecting servicemembers to physical and psychological abuse, which frequently precedes cases of suicide, likewise fails to receive an adequate legal assessment. Research indicates that when violence does not result in death, even perpetrators who are convicted are often released from serving their sentences on probation.

As a result, violent practices are effectively normalized rather than prevented. This reflects not only failures and inaction within the chain of command, but also a persistent and troubling disregard for the State’s human rights obligations and responsibilities.

Furthermore, cases involving violence and deaths in the Armed Forces are not investigated promptly, effectively, or thoroughly. This contributes to impunity for those responsible, undermines the rights of victims and their families, and increases the likelihood of similar incidents recurring. Official investigations are typically limited to direct perpetrators, without addressing the responsibility of commanders.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia continues to operate in a non-transparent and insufficiently accountable manner, failing to provide adequate public accountability regarding deaths and the circumstances surrounding them. No comprehensive and systematic assessment is conducted into the underlying causes of suicides, killings, and violence within the Armed Forces, nor are effective reforms introduced to prevent such incidents. This significantly contributes to growing public distrust in the Armed Forces.

In light of the above, we call for the following

• Conduct prompt, effective, and impartial investigations into all cases of violence resulting in death, including by ensuring appropriate legal assessment of the actions and omissions of the chain of command.
• Ensure that the families of deceased servicemembers receive free legal, psychological, and social support, and establish comprehensive post-incident response procedures within the relevant military units, including immediate psychological screening and support for fellow servicemembers.
• Enable servicemembers to seek assistance from civilian mental health professionals or free 24-hour confidential helplines outside the military chain of command, while guaranteeing the complete confidentiality of such requests.
• Implement genuine and effective human rights reforms within the Armed Forces, including mandatory and regular human rights training for servicemembers and commanders, with particular emphasis on the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, the prevention of violence, and the protection of servicemembers in vulnerable situations.
• Strengthen mechanisms for the early identification and continuous monitoring of high-risk situations and risk factors, and introduce regular risk assessment procedures aimed at detecting patterns of violence, hazing, group intimidation, vulnerabilities, and other forms of abusive conduct before they escalate into serious incidents.
• Conduct, within the shortest possible timeframe, a multidisciplinary study to comprehensively assess the causes and contributing factors behind violence and suicides in the Armed Forces, including an examination of previous incidents of violence, command responses, psychological risks, and other relevant factors, and make its findings public.
• Strengthen the role and capacity of military psychologists and other support services in identifying, documenting, and responding appropriately to violence, humiliation, bullying, and suicide risks.
• Ensure effective command oversight and accountability throughout the Armed Forces.

The full text of the statement and the list of organizations that have signed it: