Azernews.Az

YEREVAN – The Armenian opposition has condemned the abuse in the country’s military, calling it "atrocities", after a video showing torture in the armed forces was posted online, Armenia Today news agency reported.

In a statement, the Armenian National Congress, led by the former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, said that "even fascism atrocities pale" compared to this abuse.

The amateur recording, posted on the popular video sharing website YouTube, shows a serviceman of higher rank pulling soldiers’ ears, slapping them on the face and pouring water on them.

The Congress said that the video explains the reason of the recent bloody clashes in the Armenian army.

"Every intelligent person subjected to insults, particularly a youngster aged 18-19, could resort to suicide, murder, or cross over to the enemy’s side. In the best case scenario, he will return home physically and psychologically disabled. But there’s one thing he definitely would not do - that is fight the enemy when necessary."

The Congress accused the incumbent authorities of "destroying the military and giving away Karabakh", referring to the Armenia-occupied Upper (Nagorno) Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

It called upon the authorities to find the serviceman responsible for the abuse within a week and to investigate the case transparently – through a scrutiny that would be open for public organizations and journalists.

"Otherwise, the entire military leadership, headed by President Serzh Sargsyan, will be declared as perpetrators of this crime," the statement said.