The Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes as follows, in particular: The Zhoghovurd daily sent a request to the RA Investigative Committee [(IC)] to find out how many suicide attempts and how many suicide cases were recorded [in the army] in the RA Ministry of Defense [(MoD)] from January 1 to August 13, 2026 inclusive. Investigations are being conducted in all cases at the IC.

The IC replied that it was not possible to provide the information, since it contains investigation data that are not subject to publication, referring to Article 8, Part 1, Clause 3 of the Law on Freedom of Information.

Meanwhile, we did not ask for names, did not demand details of criminal cases, had not asked under what circumstances the servicemen died, or what versions the investigation is considering. We asked for two numbers. How many suicide cases? How many suicide attempts? Of course, it is already known from the publicized official reports that in 2026, at least four cases of deaths of servicemen were investigated by the IC under the theory of suicide or inducing a serviceman to commit suicide. (...)

But we do not know the total number, because the Investigative Committee does not report it. Perhaps the total number is actually much higher. The question here is simple: if the state can publicize that the theory of inducing a serviceman to commit suicide is being investigated in the case of the death of this or that serviceman, then why can’t the same state publicize how many such cases were recorded during the year?

Statistics are not secret details of a criminal case. Zhoghovurd daily applied also to the Ministry of Defense to obtain the same information. We have not yet received the response from the MoD. We are waiting.