Contract Serviceman Wanted by Police Still Remains under Control of Russian Law Enforcement Agencies
12:03, September 25, 2015 | News, Own news | Right to an Effective Remedy of Legal ProtectionThe investigator at the Investigative Committee refused to comment on the situation.
On July 2, 2015, Vardanush Khechikyan from Vanadzor consulted the HCA Vanadzor stating that back on January 16, 2014 her son Garik Khechikyan /patronymic: Levon/ had signed a military service contract. However due to the sharply deteriorated social situation, he submitted a report on discharge from his service before the contract expiration date, and without waiting up for relevant decree, left for Russian Federation for work. The applicant also mentioned that G. Khechikyan was arrested in Russian Federation on suspicion of a crime.
To find out the grounds for putting G. Khechikyan on the wanted list and the reasons for not extraditing him to Armenia, G. Khechikyan’s wife I. Khechikyan and mother V. Khechikyan submitted a letter to competent state agencies. The response letter read that on 03.02.2014, G. Khechikyan submitted a report to the rifle battalion 3, military unit 27229, Ministry of Defense, RA, under which he admitted his position and was bound to do his service on 05.02.2014, but he failed to do so. Consequently, criminal proceedings were initiated under Article 361(1), RA Criminal Code; Garik Khechikyan was involved as defendant and his name was put on the wanted list. On December 18, 2014, competent authorities received information on his arrest in Russia and consequently sent relevant documents to Russia to start his extradition to the Republic of Armenia.
Receiving no other information for several months, the HCA Vanadzor sent an inquiry to H. R. Melkonyan, investigator at the 6th Garrison Investigative Division, General Department for Military Investigation, Investigative Committee requesting information on the reasons for G. Khechikyan was still under control of the Russian Federation law enforcement agencies, the actions taken to extradite him to Armenia and the expected date of such extradition. The Organization substantiated its request by Article 27 of the RA Constitution and Article 6 of the RA Law on Freedom of Information.
In his response letter, investigator H. R. Melkonyan, contrary to the logic of the law, refused to provide any details on the date of G. Khechikyan’s extradition to Armenia, considering it to constitute confidential information under the preliminary investigation.