Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Ranker Albert Sharoyan, who has congenital health problems, was conscripted to the RA Armed Forces. HCA Vanadzor learnt about this from mass media publications. In February 2020,Kima Sharoyan, the serviceman’s sister, made a post on her Facebook page about her brother’s health problems, “My brother has congenital health problems, deformation of the left leg, flat-footedness, his legs are 1 cm long and short, but the medical commission did not see the problem and conscripted him to join the army”. The post was quickly disseminated in news websites. Artsrun Hovhannisyan, former spokesman of RA MoD, made a sarcastic post on his Facebook page, responding to the publications, “A material is circulating in the internet concerning the length of a soldier’s legs. Dear all, I understand that often we have emotional approach to matters, if our child, in our opinion, has a problem, then everyone is wrong, but you should not doubt RA healthcare relevant specialists. The Central Medical Commission recognized this serviceman fit for military service completely based on law. According to Article 43 point c of RA Government’s decision 404 N of 13 April 2018, he is fit for military service. I exhort to refrain from disseminating ungrounded information and not to tarnish the reputation of the RA Armed Forces. And despite this, in each such case we conduct an additional examination”.

In Kima Sharoyan’s words, “after the conscription, he was examined in a medical check point, and they did not do anything except giving a painkiller, the situation is very serious. On the day of the oath ceremony, all the soldiers came on foot, while he was transferred by car”. Artsrun Hovhannisyan, former spokesman of RA MoD, presented the following comment to the above-mentioned website, “The family can claim anything, but there is a medical commission and there are health specialists. And the documents say something different, they say that he can serve with limitations, that is, he is subject to incomplete line service. Yesterday he was taken to hospital, again underwent a relevant examination and once again what I said was confirmed, i.e. he is fit for military service according to Article 43 point c of the RA Government’s decision 404 N of 13 April 2018”.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan also provided a photo of the serviceman’s legs and noted, “These photos were taken just yesterday, and I don’t know when his sister’s photos were taken, as during the first days of the military service, everyone appears in this situation. When people shift from civilian life to a military one and don’t take their military shoes off for a few hours and especially, when they do line exercises, their feet swell like that”.

HCA Vanadzor immediately got in touch with the serviceman’s sister. On 17 April 2020, the Organization addressed a relevant letter to RA Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan. In the letter addressed to the Minister, the Organization gave details on the serviceman’s health state with which he was conscripted to RA armed forces, and also touched upon the comments of MoD former spokesman. 

“It is obvious that even if the serviceman was recognized fit for military service with limitations, but has not participated in any military event or action for 2 and a half months on end, could not effectively fulfill his military duties, moreover, he was in the military hospital during all this time, and according to his sister, no treatment or medical measure was implemented, then the serviceman’s state has not improved. Taking into account the above-mentioned condition, I am applying to You to conduct a comprehensive examination of the serviceman’s health state, in particular, to ensure effective treatment for the above-mentioned problem, and in case it is not possible, to review the legality of his fitness for military service. At the same time, I ask to provide information as to what medical measures or treatment was implemented after being transferred to the central military hospital. And if there have been such measures taken, then what were they exactly and how long did they last?”, HCA Vanadzor concluded the letter.

On May 2, the MoD provided HCA Vanadzor with clarifications on the issue. According to those clarifications, A. Sharoyan was conscripted  in accordance with Article 43 point C column 1 of the RA Government’s decision No. 404-N of 12 April 2018, with the following conclusion, “fit for military service with limitations”. On 13 February 2020, he was hospitalized to the military unit’s vascular surgery department and a week later to traumatology department with the diagnosis of “hypertrophy of lower left limb, residual effects after  two-sided flat feet”. As a result of medical examinations conducted there, the following diagnosis was given, “Residual effects after two-sided flat feet, with a moderate gait disorder. Pelvic deviation, 7 mm difference between lower limbs, hypertrophy of left lower limb with a slight impairment of the function. Degenerative dystrophic changes of spine sacrum, protrusions of intervertebral cartilage up to 0,2 cm, lumbago in remission”.

With this diagnosis, on 20 April 2020, the serviceman was presented to Central Military Medical Commission’s session, based on the conclusion of which the treatment period was extended for ten more days with the instruction of MRI examination of the feet, as well as consultation of the relevant specialists. Based on the condition that A. Sharoyan had contact with a coronavirus carrier, on 22 April 2020, he was transferred to “ZAR” educational center and for this very reason, the above-mentioned examinations by the Central Military Medical Commission were not implemented.

Promising to HCA Vanadzor to inform the Organization about further treatment and the course of examinations of the serviceman, MoD informed that once the restricted regime was over, he would again be examined and presented to the session of the Central Military Medical Commission to get an expert conclusion.

3 months have passed and MoD has not provided HCA Vanadzor with new information on the serviceman’s further fate, while on 12 August 2020, Albert Sharoyan’s relatives informed the Organization that he had been discharged from military service ahead of time and was at  home.