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According to the version brought up by the preliminary investigation, on the day of his death, 19-year old Sargis Sahakyan, who was on duty at the combat post, was inflicted by fellow servicemen to commit a suicide due to one “Sneakers”.

Term solder Sargis Sahakyan died in Meghri on the night of November 5 of 2012.

Today as well Sargis’ mother Margarita Sahakyan cannot hear the official version of his only son’s death, “Will a person be killed for food?”

Mrs. Margarita’s husband and other relatives do not update her with the details of the court hearings over her son’s death case held at the RA Syunik Region Court of Common Jurisdiction. The mother is convinced that her son would not commit a suicide and that he was murdered. “And then they claim soldiers are being taken good care of. Should they come and say he died of a Turk’s bullet… they should not term it a suicide.”

According to the relatives’ description, Sargis was a calm and well-balanced boy, he never complained of military service. The preliminary body brought up only one version and termed it a suicide.

However, the young man’s relatives consider that version as rather disputable. “No such slight injuries would be inflicted by a shot fired from an assault rifle, it would have smashed the whole face. I believe it was a gun shot. I ask the investigator whether they found the bullet, he says no. I ask him if they found the cartridge, he says not. They cannot identify a fingerprint on the firearms. There are no clear fingerprints”, told Sargis’ uncle in a talk with “Azatutyun”.

The two defendants accused in causing to commit a suicide do not plead guilty.  Sahakyan’s representative, advocate Syuzanna Khcheyan reported to “Azatutyun” that they claim testimonies were extorted from them through beatings and tortures at the military police.

It is noteworthy that not only the 2 defendants, but also all of 8 witnesses over the cases declined to give preliminary investigation evidence at the court. By the words of Sargis’ uncle, everyone claim the testimonies were extorted through beatings.

Sahakyans hope that the court proceedings will reveal the truth. They claimed a new medical forensic examination to be administered at the Expertise center of the RA Ministry of Healthcare.

The only desire of the diseased mother is not to punish an innocent.

In a talk with “Azatutyun”, she said she should not have obeyed her son, she would have sold her house and exempted her son from military service.

“I told him, I would sell the house, would beg money… He told what a man, if I do not serve mother, what is wrong with me. He truly wanted to serve.”

Pursuant to the data provided by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor, 31 servicemen died during the passing year. 8 out of them, according to official version, committed a suicide. However, the human rights organization believes that murders are represented as suicides by the preliminary investigation body.