The circumstances behind the death of many Armenian servicemen who have fallen in the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) last fall are still uncertain. A number of respective criminal cases are already in court, and the legal successors of the victims are waiting to face the accused.

A trial in the case of the death of 16 servicemen and two officers will get underway on September 7 in Goris city. And the deputy commander of a military unit, Lieutenant Colonel Andranik Veranyan stands accused in this trial.

Before the start of the war, the aforesaid soldiers were serving in the military units of Meghri city and Agarak village of Syunik Province. But once the war started, these soldiers were taken to Artsakh. Learning that his son was being taken to Artsakh, the father of one of these servicemen drove—with his own car—to see his son and witnessed how his son and fellow servicemen were killed.

Soldier Artashes Khalatyan, 20, was among these victims. His father, Hakob Khalatyan, claimed to Armenian News-NEWS.am that the cause of death of these soldiers was Lieutenant Colonel Veranyan's order.

Andranik Veranyan has been charged with abusing his official position, negligently causing major material damage.

Hakob Khalatyan spoke about this material damage. "According to them [i.e., the Armenian military], the material damage refers to the army; that is, the material damage was caused to the army. They are the Ural[-model military truck], the weapons and ammunition, the kids’ [military] uniforms," he said.

Andranik Veranyan was detained for two months, but then he was released on a signature bond not to leave Armenia.

It is noteworthy that Veranyan was awarded a medal after the war.

The legal successors of these fallen servicemen are waiting for the court session to start on September 7, and they ask that these sessions be held in a court where all the legal successors can attend.