Armenia’s ruling party lawmaker draws backlash over remarks on son’s military service

By Siranush Adamyan

A senior Armenian lawmaker has sparked public backlash after saying his son did not serve in the army because he is “of high quality,” prompting criticism over elitism and inequality in military service. 

Andranik Kocharyan, a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract party and chair of the National Assembly’s defense and security committee, made the remark during a briefing in parliament on Monday. 

Responding to a journalist’s question about why his elder son had not served in the Armenian armed forces, Kocharyan said that his son was “a high-quality guy,” implying that his academic path justified exemption from military service.

The comment quickly drew strong reactions across social media and from civil society, with critics arguing that it reinforced perceptions of unequal treatment and privilege in a country where military service is mandatory for most men.

Human rights defender Zhanna Aleksanyan criticized the statement, saying it sent the wrong message to society and undermined the principle of equal obligation before the law. In an interview with RFE/RL Armenian service, she noted that such rhetoric risks deepening public mistrust toward institutions, particularly in the sensitive area of military service.

Blogger Gor Madoyan criticized the remarks in a Facebook post, writing that “only low-quality and uneducated people are meant for the army,” adding that such a statement coming from the head of the parliamentary defense committee was unacceptable. He accompanied the post with the hashtag #pasture, a term often used in Armenian political slang to mock perceived incompetence.

The backlash comes as Armenia continues to grapple with the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, in which thousands of conscripts were mobilized, heightening public sensitivity to issues of fairness and accountability.

On Tuesday morning, Kocharyan issued an apology on his Facebook page, saying his remarks had been misunderstood and expressing regret for the reaction they provoked.

He said his intention had been to underline the value placed by Armenian legislation on education and scientific work, noting that individuals who contribute to the state through academic activity are granted certain deferments.

Kocharyan added that his elder son had completed all levels of education and is engaged in scientific work, while his younger son had served in the armed forces and participated in the 44-day war.

“I regret that my response led to differing interpretations and speculation, for which I apologize,” he wrote.