Unified Young Armenians (UYA) condemns the heartless beating of the Armenian Armed Forces Major Vahe Avetyan which led to his death days later. We join the Major’s family and the Armenian civil society, as well as the global Armenian Diaspora in demanding justice for Major Avetyan’s death demanding all parties responsible for this tragedy to be brought to justice.
The murder of Major Avetyan was a huge loss which befell the Armenian Nation. As a nation which has survived the Armenian Genocide, we firmly believe that the Armenian state has a task of protecting the life and liberty of every single Armenian. No Armenian shall be killed in his homeland. While a civilian’s death deserves the strongest of condemnations, the murder of a soldier who is tasked with protection of our nation at a time of war is an even bigger crime. Major Avetyan was not only a soldier, but the head of the ENT Department of the Yerevan Garrison Hospital. This murder robbed the Armenian Armed Forces, the Armenian Homeland, and the Armenian Nation of a valuable and irreplaceable asset. This most heinous crime is nothing short of treason and the perpetrators need to be prosecuted and punished as such.
While we welcome the resignation of Ruben Hayrapetyan, the affluent businessmen and owner of the Harsnakar Restaurant (at which Major Avetyan was beaten to death) from the Armenian Parliament, we believe that more needs to be done. We demand a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into this matter. We also demand the maximum punishment for the perpetrators of this crime against the Armenian Nation.
Unified Young Armenians (UYA) remains an independent and apolitical force. We do not field candidates, either in the Diaspora or in Armenia, and make no attempt to garner cheap political points by abusing this tragedy which befell the Avetyan family and our nation. From day one, we have focused on Vahe Avetyan’s murder and have demanded justice for him and his family. Our participation in the rallies held at the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles were not in support of one political force or another. We were there for Major Avetyan. We were there to show our outrage against the phenomenon of bodyguards daring to murder Armenian military personnel who ironically and in turn are a vital part of the system which provides protection to the same bodyguards’ families, friends, and homes against foreign aggressors.
While there have been many calls for not "politicizing” this tragedy, we refuse to remain silent and not criticize the system which allows a certain group of individuals to kill with impunity. Our condemnation is not limited to leaders or members of one political party or another. This strong condemnation is not playing politics. We hope that one day our homeland will be free of a justice system that turns a blind eye to individuals considered above the law. From the highest office of the land to the poorest laborer, everyone should be equal in the eyes of law. This includes the members of the parliament and their body guards. We will continue working to this end through educational and anti-corruption campaigns which will hopefully shine light on this evil.
For the sake of the past… For the sake of the future…
Unified Young Armenians (UYA)
