Image: © 2016, Peace Dialogue NGO. Author: Marat Gevorgyan
The material was prepared based on the available data from www.safesoldiers.am database.
Over a period of six years, from 2010 to 2015 the RA and NK armed forces suffered a total of 206 fatal casualties, of which 48 were results of suicides and 43 results of murders. That number does not include the fatalities that were the result of ceasefire regime violations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact. In percentage this numbers are equivalent to 23% and 21% of total non-combat casualties during the last 6 years.
The statistics of suicides and murders for the last six years are presented in Infographics 1 and 2.
Infographic 1. Soldiers died as a result of suicide in the armenian military forces
during the period 2010 – 2015
Infographic 2. Soldiers died as a result of murder in the armenian military forces
during the period 2010 – 2015
As seen in the Infographics above, the highest number of suicides was recorded in 2012 (13 soldiers), while the highest number of murders were in 2010 (16 soldiers). The data include both intentional and unintentional murders, based on the articles of criminal code under which the investigation of the cases is being done.
The Kalashnikov rifle, AK 47, or its latest modifications, have been officially accepted and used by the Armenian Armed Forces from the first days of the Armenian Army. This automatic gun is the main tool of the suicides and murders in the Army. The Infographic 3 presents the technical characteristics of AK-47.
Infographic 3. Technical characteristics of AK-47
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The observation of the criminal cases shows that the majority of suicides and murders during the mentioned period were recorded in the military units stationed on the Armenian -Azerbaijani border or the line of contact (92%).
Experts and MoD officials note that the reason for this phenomenon is the easier access to the military ammunition.
According to the observation of 22 criminal cases related to suicides and murders in the mentioned period, carried out by Peace Dialogue NGO’s military expert, the fingerprints have never been revealed on the murder weapon in any of those 22 cases.
Infographic 4 illustrates the data comparison between the numbers of soldiers deceased as a result of suicide, murder and ceasefire regime violations for the period 2010-2015.
Infographic 4. Comparison between the number of soldiers deceased as a result of suicides, murders and ceasefire regime violations for the period 2010-2015
As shown in the image, before 2013 more Armenian solders died as a result of suicide and murder than as a result of ceasefire violations. However, the number of military loses related to the violations of the ceasefire increased after 2014 as a consequence of tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and at the line of contact.
The Infographic 4 also shows that during the period from 2010 to 2015 the suicides and murders took the lives of 91 soldiers.
The next Infographic (Infographic 5) notes that this number is equivalent to lose of one military company.
Infographic 5. In the last 6 years the armenian military forces lost more than 1 military company of soldiers as a result of suicides and murders
