According to research by the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, 30 cases of servicemen's deaths were recorded in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia during the first seven months of 2026, of which 11 were officially classified as related to military service and 19 as unrelated. This was reported by the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (HCA).

"On July 21, 2026, another case of a serviceman's death was recorded in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, in connection with which a criminal case was initiated under the article of negligently driving a serviceman to suicide. According to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, a junior sergeant and a rank-and-file serviceman who served alongside him were arrested within the framework of the proceedings, and a motion has been submitted to the court to apply detention as a measure of restraint against them.

According to research by the HCA Vanadzor Office, 30 cases of servicemen's deaths were recorded in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia during the first seven months of 2026, of which 11 were officially classified as related to military service and 19 as unrelated.

As a reminder, back in 2019 the HCA Vanadzor Office had appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Armenia and the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia to clarify what circumstances form the basis for such classifications.

According to information provided to the Organization by the RA Military Prosecutor's Office, when classifying cases of servicemen's deaths as related or unrelated to military service, '...the situation, the specific circumstances of the case, and the connection of the cause of death with the performance of service duties are taken into account.'

According to information provided to the Organization by the RA Investigative Committee, '...only on the basis of factual data established as a result of a comprehensive, full, and objective study and investigation of the circumstances of the case by the investigator conducting the proceedings in each individual case is a conclusion drawn as to whether the death is related to military service or not.'

The HCA Vanadzor Office believes that deaths in the armed forces should be classified only into two broad subgroups: combat-related — resulting from violations of the ceasefire regime — and non-combat, covering deaths under all other conditions. Regardless of whether a serviceman died at the place of military service or not, the case should be viewed as a loss to the armed forces, since the fact of every serviceman's death must be considered from the standpoint of the state's obligation to protect human rights.

Thus, the Organization evaluates deaths in the armed forces based on whether they occurred in connection with the performance of military service.

All cases of servicemen's deaths in 2026 occurred under non-combat conditions. Moreover, over the past roughly two and a half years (2 years and 5 months), no deaths resulting from violations of the ceasefire regime have been recorded in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia; the last such incident occurred in February 2024, when four members of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union died as a result of a ceasefire violation. Although no deaths resulting from ceasefire violations have been recorded since February 2024, the number of servicemen's deaths in the Armed Forces increased during 2018-2025 compared to 2010-2017.

In 2026, more than one third (about 37%) of the 30 servicemen's deaths under non-combat conditions were the result of suicide and murder. Notably, 6 of the 8 suicide cases and 2 of the 3 murder cases are classified as related to military service.

Analyzing the state of protection of servicemen's right to life in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, let us examine cases of servicemen's deaths and their causes in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia (and, until 2023, also in the Defense Army of Artsakh) from 2010 to 2025, presenting them across two periods: the eight years before the 2018 'Velvet Revolution' (2010-2017) and the eight years after it (2018-2025).

Note that the data presented does not include deaths resulting from the wartime and combat operations unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2016, 2022, and 2023.

Thus, according to research by the HCA Vanadzor Office, 462 servicemen died in the Armed Forces of Armenia and Artsakh during 2010-2017, of which 163 deaths (35%) resulted from violations of the ceasefire regime, and 299 (65%) occurred under non-combat conditions.

During 2018-2025, 511 cases of servicemen's deaths were recorded, of which 84 (16%) occurred under combat conditions and 427 (84%) under non-combat conditions.

As can be seen from the data, the number of deaths during 2018-2025 increased by about 11% compared to 2010-2017, and during the same 2018-2025 period, the number of servicemen's deaths under non-combat conditions increased by 45% (49 more deaths).

This indicates that systemic problems persist in the area of protecting servicemen's right to life, requiring urgent, effective preventive and oversight measures.

Regarding deaths resulting from suicide and murder, during 2010-2017, 131 cases of servicemen's deaths from these causes were recorded, comprising 45% of the number of servicemen's deaths under non-combat conditions.

During 2018-2025, 120 cases of servicemen's deaths resulting from suicide and murder were recorded, comprising 28% of the number of servicemen's deaths under non-combat conditions.

Although the number of deaths resulting from suicide and murder decreased by 11 during 2018-2025 compared to 2010-2017, the very presence of such causes of servicemen's deaths already indicates an insufficient level of protection of servicemen's right to life by the state.

The HCA Vanadzor Office continues to keep the state of protection of servicemen's right to life in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia at the center of its attention, publishing reports and briefings, and developing recommendations on changes to legislation and practice addressed to the defense department and investigative bodies.

The HCA Vanadzor Office is currently preparing details on cases of servicemen's deaths in the first half of 2026, which will be summarized in a report and published soon.

Armed Forces Death Cases 2010-2017 Total: 462 | Combat: 163 | Non-combat: 299 2010: 54 | 2011: 40 | 2012: 50 | 2013: 30 | 2014: 46 | 2015: 78 | 2016: 98 | 2017: 66

Armed Forces Death Cases 2018-2025 Total: 511 | Combat: 84 | Non-combat: 427 2018: 63 | 2019: 50 | 2020: 100 | 2021: 76 | 2022: 64 | 2023: 83 | 2024: 40 | 2025: 35