Army

Home page

Army

Armenian soldier crossed into the Azerbaijani territory: â€œWe need to bribe 6-8 thousand dollars not to serve in Nagorno Karabakhâ€

12 August 2010 10:28 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementieva â€“ APA. Soldier of the Armenian armed forces Karen Harutunyan, who deserted from the army and crossed into the Azerbaijani territory, spoke to APA about reasons of his action. â€œThey threatened me if I didnâ€™t give money they would kill me. I faced with assaults dishonoring me and an attempted rape. I was forced to do out toilets. They broke my finger. Then I decided to break awayâ€.

Harutunyan said such cases were happening in all military bases of Armenia. â€œThey send to Karabakh only poor people. We need to bribe 6-8 thousand dollars not to serve in Nagorno Karabakhâ€. Karen said it was impossible to live and to work in Armenia, people couldnâ€™t eat normally and everyone demands Serzh Sargsyan to resign and joins the protest actions against him. He said he was planning to cross into the Turkeyâ€™s territory and while crossing the borders he thought that he was in Turkey. â€œI saw a child when I crossed the borders. I explain him that I want to eat and drink. He took me to home. They gave me cigarettes, water and eat. Then I took a restâ€.

Harutunyan said he would like to go to third country, but he was feeling well in Azerbaijan. â€œI underwent treatment here. There is no problem with foods. Everything is normal. Let my family not to concern about meâ€.

Harutunyan, 20, served in 549th regiment and crossed into the territory of Gedabey region of Azerbaijan in July, 2009.