HCA Vanadzor’s response
The Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in Vanadzor (president Artur Sakunts) issued the following message on the July 19 statement by the press secretary of the RA Ministry of Defense:
• The RA Ministry of Defense hasn't touched upon Rafik Hovhannisyan's health problems, which served as grounds for giving him a year off in 2008
• Rafik Hovhannisyan's corroboration for recruitment in June 2011 has not been clarified.
We inform once again that the Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office's notice sent to the RA Ministry of Defense on 16 July 2011 and the mass media on 18 July was written based on the information provided by Rafik Hovhannisyan's father, Robert Hovhannisyan.
In the RA Defense Ministry's denial it is recorded that an incident did take place-the soldier was prohibited from using a mobile phone. At the same time, we find that the presence of Rafik Hovhannisyan's serious health problems, as well as the lack of warrants for safety and possible pressures don't serve as grounds to trust the clarifications given by the soldier and his parents after the issue was made public.
Rafik Hovhannisyan's father, Robert Hovhannisyan was called to the RA Ministry of Defense today.
