Armenian PM calls for investigation into causes of army suicides

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has pledged to investigate the underlying causes of suicides in the country’s armed forces, following the latest fatal incident involving a serviceman.

Speaking at a government briefing, Pashinyan said the issue requires a comprehensive analysis, both in terms of military conditions and broader societal factors, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The renewed focus comes after the death of serviceman Narek Hakobyan, who sustained a gunshot wound at a training ground and died while being transported to a hospital in the capital. Authorities have opened a criminal case on charges of incitement to suicide.

Pashinyan noted that he has repeatedly emphasised the importance of examining such cases through the lens of psychological resilience, which develops from early childhood through the education system. He said the matter has been discussed with Education Minister Zhanna Andreasyan.

At a recent meeting of the Security Council, the prime minister instructed relevant bodies to review all confirmed suicide cases within the army to identify possible patterns or recurring characteristics. He added that, if necessary, artificial intelligence tools could be used to help detect such trends.

Addressing the circumstances surrounding Hakobyan’s death, Pashinyan said he had been informed that the serviceman left a note stating he had no issues within his military unit. It was also reported that two days before the incident, Hakobyan had taken leave and visited the grave of a relative who had also died by suicide.

The prime minister stressed that the case requires a thorough investigation to establish the full circumstances and any contributing factors.

By Tamilla Hasanova