Relatives of missing soldiers forced to hold hearings outdoors after  Parliament denies access to large hall

ArmInfo. Relatives of missing servicemen were forced to hold hearings on the declassification of the investigation report into the circumstances of the 44-day war of 2020 outside the Armenian parliament because the  country's authorities refused to provide them with a larger hall.

In a conversation with reporters, Non-partisan MP Taguhi Tovmasyan,  who organized the hearing to discuss the declassification of the  investigative report on the war's circumstances, revealed that her  request for a proper hall was rejected. Despite presenting a list of  190 participants, the administration allocated Room 334-a space with  a maximum capacity of 60 people. "It is physically impossible to fit  all the parents and participants there," Tovmasyan told reporters.  "This is also a question of dignity." 

Furthermore, the MP reported that the authorities are refusing to  hold open hearings, and members of the ruling Civil Contract faction  have refused to participate in the hearings they initiated.  Invitations, she added, were also sent to Andranik Kocharyan, Head of  the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, Arusyak  Julhakyan, Chair of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal  Affairs, and Vanik Ohanyan, member of the Parliamentary Standing  Committee on Healthcare.

"They all also stated that they do not intend to participate in the  hearings. An invitation was also extended to Armenian Defense  Minister Suren Papikyan, who is currently out of the country.  However, the ministry refused to send a representative in his place.  NSS Director Andranik Simonyan, Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan,  Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan, and Armenian President Vahagn  Khachaturyan also declined to participate. And Investigative  Committee Chairman Artur Poghosyan did not respond to the invitation  at all. But the most surprising fact is that not a single  representative from the Armenian Ombudsman's Office showed up for the  meeting with the parents," the non-partisan MP noted.

Tovmasyan is certain that the desire to hold closed discussions stems  from an intention to conceal everything that will be discussed behind  closed doors. In this regard, Tovmasyan expressed her conviction that  the failed parliamentary hearings were the result of a political  decision. According to her, the primary responsibility for what is  happening today is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia,  Alen Simonyan, and Secretary General David Arakelyan.

Tovmasyan reiterated that she doesn't even believe the report exists,  but emphasized that in this situation, it is important for her to be  there for the parents to ensure their right to be heard. "But I have  no expectations from this Commission. I've already said that it was  created simply to accuse someone and acquit Armenian Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan," the politician added.

During the hearings, the leader of the opposition parliamentary  faction "Armenia" and former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan also  spoke, emphasizing that the Armenian authorities were simply obliged  to present the report to the public. "What they are doing speaks  volumes about their attitude toward their people. The Investigative  Committee, which consisted of eight members of the ruling party, was  unable to provide a comprehensive assessment of the events of the  44-day war of 2020 and present it to the people.  The authorities are  trying to avoid responsibility. And most likely, as a result of the  investigation, the Committee had obtained information that they do  not want to disclose, especially during the pre-election period. The  fact that today's parliamentary hearings did not take place is a  result of their fear," Ohanyan noted.  It is worth noting  that  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has assured that the  Committee's report will not reveal anything new that the Armenian  people do not already know. However, it is unclear what the Armenian  authorities fear in refusing to make its contents public. 

Recall, the Commission for the Investigation of the Circumstances of  the War Unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, was  established by the National Assembly  in February 2022. Commission  members reviewed hours of video recordings and classified documents,  and heard testimony from numerous invited officials, including RA  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In the second ten-day period of 2025,  it was announced that the report was ready, but it will not be made  public because it contains classified elements.