Interdepartmental working group established in Armenia to address  suicides and non-regulatory relations in the Armed Forces

ArmInfo. By decree of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, an interdepartmental working group  has been established to develop systemic solutions to address the  issues of suicides and hazing (non-regulatory relations) within the  Armenian Armed Forces. The decision has been published on the  government's official website.

The 11-member group is headed by the Minister of Defense. It also  includes the Minister of Health; the Minister of Education, Science,  Culture, and Sports; the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed  Forces; the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs; the Deputy Minister  of Labor and Social Affairs; and representatives of investigative  bodies. The working group has been tasked with drafting and  submitting relevant proposals to the Prime Minister within three  months.

Note, according to official data, 11 deaths have been recorded in the  Armenian Armed Forces since the beginning of 2026, including 5 among  conscripts. More than half of these cases stem from suicides and the  consequences of hazing. Meanwhile, research by the Vanadzor Office of  the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly indicates that 30 military deaths  were registered in the Armenian military over the first seven months  of 2026. The organization noted that 11 of those 30 cases were  officially classified as service-related, while 19 were deemed  non-service-related.

These incidents have prompted resignations and personnel reshuffles  within law enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Defense. Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced structural changes after the body  of soldier Grigor Zakaryan was discovered with a gunshot wound at a  military unit on August 13, 2026. While emphasizing the necessity of  individual accountability, the Prime Minister stated that he saw no  need to dismiss the Minister of Defense or the Chief of the General  Staff.