We Must Reach a Point Where There Are No Suicides in the Armed Forces - Kocharyan

February was a very difficult month for the army, said Andranik Kocharyan, Chairman of the National Assembly's Permanent Commission on Defense and Security, during a briefing with journalists.

“We must reach a point where there are no cases of suicide in the armed forces. Our armed forces are today our guarantors of security. This atmosphere is related to many circumstances; we have had failures that need to be corrected, but they are difficult issues to resolve as they involve legal, psychological, and many other problems,” Kocharyan stated.

He also mentioned that he has met with psychologists to discuss the psychological issues faced by those who have undergone military service. “I have asked them to prepare assessments for me regarding the stress-related conditions of 18-year-olds when they join the service, so that we can develop a program and discuss the nature and severity of the service in its entirety. We must reach a point where there are no suicides in the Armed Forces,” Kocharyan emphasized.