Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

The state continues to conscript young persons who have health problems, and the human rights defenders who deal with the problems of the army, alarm and insist that the problems raised haven’t been resolved. 

Like the previous conscription, during this one as well, we received the same complaints, including improper medical reports of health complaints, incomplete examinations, and the absence of expensive examinations.  

“The conscripts have addressed complaints, but the military commissariat has not provided referrals, or has not paid attention to that complaints and has provided referrals only in some part of the health condition or only for one health problem, the remaining problems have been ignored”, said Nazeli Movsesyan, the human rights defender of HCAV, and continued, “This is such a problem that we have had for years and it has been repeated for years."

The Ministry of Defense opposes saying that there are procedures for appealing the conclusions regarding the health state and that they are consistent and ready to study and solve the arisen problems within the framework of law: They emphasize that every alarm receives a proper motion. 

However, N. Movsesyan claims the conscripts encounter the same problem, and that the private medical facilities refuse to examine them even for a fee. “In many cases, they also mention that they fear that the diagnosis they write can contradict the diagnosis written by the military commissions and can cause some problems for them. 

The Ministry of Health responded that they were not aware of this problem, and emphasized that there is no such a ban. Nazeli Movsesyan also emphasized that the state does not pay for those expensive examinations, and as a reason mentions the scarce budget. As a result of this, either the family should spend a great sum of money or send the sick young person to the army because of not having that money.  

Movsesyan recalled Prime Minister Pashinyan's words a year ago, during the festive event marking the anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces, that only less than half of the persons subject to conscription go to the army. According to Pashinyan, either the generation has serious health problems or conscription remains the most prosperous field of corruption. After this statement, the government adopted a new decree and tightened the list of diseases. However, the human rights defenders assessed it as a regression, a violation of human rights which is aimed at the increase of the numbers of conscripts.