YEREVAN. – Mane Gevorgyan, spokesperson for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, clarified—on Facebook—why Pashinyan did not serve in the armed forces.

Accordingly, Article 23 of the Law on Conscription that came into force in December 1991, sets out the grounds for exemption from compulsory military service, which include the right to exempt a person whose two brothers have already completed compulsory military service.

As per Gevorgyan, based on the fact that Pashinyan’s two brothers had completed compulsory military service, the conscription commission had formulated his exemption from compulsory military service.

But with an amendment to the law in force, the abovementioned grounds for exemption from military service were abolished, which, however, could not have been grounds for terminating the already formulated right of exemption, as it is an absolute right and retroactive effect could not have been given to the amendments made.