Manvel Grigoryan

Lieutenant General Manvel Sektori Grigoryan (Armenian: Մանվել Սեկտորի Գրիգորյան; 14 July 1956 – 19 November 2020[1]) was an Armenian military and a member of the National Assembly of Armenia. At one point he was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Armenian Army, becoming Deputy Defense Minister in 2000.

Lieutenant General

Manvel Grigoryan
Native name
Մանվել Գրիգորյան
Born(1956-07-14)July 14, 1956
Armavir Province, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Died19 November 2020(2020-11-19) (aged 64)
Yerevan, Armenia
Allegiance Soviet Union
 Armenia
Service/branchArmed Forces of Armenia
Years of service1975–2020
RankLieutenant General
Commands held1st Army Corps (1996–2000)
Battles/warsFirst Nagorno-Karabakh War
Awards Hero of Artsakh
Children8 (including Karen Grigoryan)
RelationsAshot Grigoryan

Early life and career

He was born on July 14, 1956 in a village in the Armavir province. He served in the Soviet Army from 1975 to 1977. He graduated from Stepanakert State University in 1993 and Yerevan State University in 1998. In 1993 he was appointed the Commander of the 83rd Armed Forces Brigade. Between 1996 and 2000 he was promoted to the Commander of the 1st Army Corps of the Ministry of Defense and gained the rank of Major General. In 2000, Grigoryan became the Deputy Defense Minister. On May 6, 2012, he was elected a deputy to the parliament from the Republican Party of Armenia.[2][3] On June 18, 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan accused Manvel of participating in Khojaly Massacre and committing other war crimes.[4]

Arrest

Grigoryan was arrested in Armenia on June 16, 2018 by the National Security Service at his home in Vagharshapat. He was charged with the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.[5][6] Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also claimed that he stole aid intended for frontline soldiers sent by schoolchildren during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes.[7] In his house, the National Security Service also found many weapons and ammunition including, RPG-7s, a car collection which included vehicles and ambulance cars designated for the army. Additionally, a private zoo was discovered, on which premises investigators found used cans of meat products intended for military consumption.[8] Grigoryan was standing trial at the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction on the charges of illegal possession and storage of weapons and ammunition, embezzlement of 101,232,917 AMD, evasion of 1,228,176,342 AMD taxes, misuse of 1,225,003,300 AMD state funds and the organization of misappropriation of 37,101,100 AMD worth of property accompanied by extortion.[9]

Personal life

He was married to Nazik Amiryan, with 8 children, including his son Karen Grigoryan, who is the former Mayor of Echmiadzin. Over the years of his service, Grigoryan has gained the following national awards:

  • Medal of “Military Cross” (1994)
  • Medal of the “Golden Eagle” (2000)
  • Hero of Artsakh (2000)
  • Medal of "Vazgen Sargsyan” (2002)

Death

Grigoryan died on November 19, 2020 at the age of 64.[10] Grigoryan had previously been in critical condition after being in Artsakh a week after the start of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, where he became infected with COVID-19.[11][12] Former president Serzh Sargsyan sent a telegram of condolence to the Grigoryan family on his death. Citing the recently signed Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, Sargsyan said that "The hero of Artsakh also passed away by seeing how the authorities handed over the lands he had actively helped liberate and the martyrdom of several heroic men for which all us Armenians are mourning" saying that it "dealt a great blow to Manvel".[13] Grigoryan was not buried at Yerablur in Yerevan next to Vazgen Sargsyan, which was specified as his last wish, with his former assistant saying that that the funeral will be held in his native Arshaluys.[14]

References
  1. "Մահացել է գեներալ Մանվել Գրիգորյանը". «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  2. "National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia | Official Web Site | parliament.am". www.parliament.am. Retrieved 2017-09-10.
  3. "From Army General to Affluent MP: Manvel Grigoryan Hides Income, Doesn't Pay Taxes - Hetq - News, Articles, Investigations". Retrieved 2017-09-10.
  4. "Manvel Grigoryan participated in Khojaly genocide and other war crimes - Azerbaijani MFA". azvision.az. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  5. "Etchmiadzin: Manvel Grigoryan and Artur Asatryan Arrested on Illegal Arms Charges". Hetq.am.
  6. "Sharmazanov on Manvel Grigoryan's Arrest: "They're making the Turks happy"". Hetq.am.
  7. "Pashinyan: There are doubts that Manvel Grigoryan stole aid of schoolchildren during April war". news.am.
  8. "Manvel Grigoryan's "Hidden Assets": Law Enforcement Uncovers Mini Arsenal and Supplies Destined for Armenian Troops in "Four Day War"". Hetq.am.
  9. "Մանվել Գրիգորյանի խափանման միջոց կալանքը փոխվեց չհեռանալու մասին ստորագրությամբ". Hetq.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  10. "Former MP Manvel Grigoryan dies aged 64". armradio.am. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  11. "Ex-MP, General Manvel Grigoryan to be buried at Yerevan military pantheon". news.am. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  12. "Armenia former MP, General Manvel Grigoryan is laid to rest". news.am. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  13. "Armenia 3rd President sends telegram of condolence over death of Manvel Grigoryan". news.am. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  14. "Former MP, General Manvel Grigoryan to not be buried at Yerevan military pantheon". news.am. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
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