Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

On April 11-12, 2025, representatives of HCAV, Artur Sakunts and Nazeli Movsesyan, attended the roundtable discussion on "Promoting Human Rights in the Armed Forces of Armenia" organized by the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF). 

In the context of the prohibition of ill-treatment and degrading treatment of military personnel, the recommendations given to the Government of the Republic of Armenia by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2023 regarding the "Muradyan v. RA" group of cases were repeatedly referred to during the discussion. 

During the discussion, the chairman of HCAV, Artur Sakunts addressed a number of issues existing in the RA Armed Forces, particularly emphasizing the need to consider servicemen as citizens in uniform and to ensure the protection of their rights. 

A. Sakunts in detail and separately presented the problems related to the violations of human rights in the process of conscription, which HCAV has been addressing for years. 

In particular:

• Finding conscripts fit for the military service with serious health problems. 

• The tendency of reducing the list of illnesses that were incompatible with military service previously.

• The artificial obstacles that hinder the opportunity of conscripts to undergo medical examinations at their own expense. 

All the problems recorded by the Organization during the conscription are here.