Father kills 3-year-old son in Armenia: interior minister comments on child’s murder and crime levels
Father kills 3-year-old son: crime in Armenia
Armenia is grappling with the murder of a three-year-old boy, who was strangled by his father. Tigran Ovanesov went missing on 27 October, and his body was found yesterday, 2 November. Authorities had been conducting extensive search operations throughout this period. Today, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan told journalists that the boy’s father was responsible for the killing.
“Two brothers left home and later met with their father. The father strangled the boy. According to him, the incident occurred during a family dispute. When the child went missing, we began search operations in the surrounding area based on the father’s initial statements. As the search moved from one area to another, he moved the body to a different location,” Sargsyan said.
Armenian media reported that Tigran’s older brother has a disability and cannot speak. When asked what had happened to his younger brother, he reportedly gestured by clutching his throat with both hands.
Meanwhile, the Armenian parliament is holding preliminary discussions on the 2026 budget. During the session, the Interior Minister provided a report on the overall crime situation. She said the government has decided to develop a unified crime prevention strategy. Sargsyan explained that the strategy aims to reduce crime, including murders.
According to the Investigative Committee, a criminal case has been opened against Tigran Ovanesov’s father, who is accused of murder. The committee also reported that an external examination of the child’s body revealed multiple injuries, including to the head.
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‘No sharp rise in murders‘
Speaking in parliament, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan told lawmakers that the pattern of murders remains the same, with domestic killings still predominating.
“There are no significant, sharp, or dangerous changes. Regarding the total number of registered cases, I should note that there has been no statistical surge. Murders account for just 0.2% of all crimes,” she said.
According to a UN Office on Drugs and Crime report on global homicides, the average rate worldwide is 5.8 per 100,000 people.
Sargsyan said Armenia’s figures remain below the global average:
“If the global average is 5.8 murders per 100,000 people, in Armenia the rate was 2 in 2021, 1.9 in 2022, 1.8 in 2023, and 2 in 2024.”
‘Planned crimes make up a small percentage‘
“Armenia does not stand out in terms of organised, premeditated serious crimes. In our statistics, planned crimes make up a very small percentage,” Sargsyan said.
She added that, in reviewing the overall picture, most murders are “the result of an ongoing dispute or conflict sparked in the heat of the moment.”
‘Number of solved crimes has increased‘
Between January and September this year, the Interior Ministry recorded a significant increase in crime clearance rates.
“These are crimes that fall into the latent category. The number of solved cases of illegal drug trafficking rose by 391, and cases of illegal arms and ammunition trafficking increased by 249,” Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan said.
At the same time, she noted that the clearance rate for serious and particularly serious crimes fell by 0.7%.
“Importantly, the overall crime clearance rate has improved. The number of people charged has increased by 3.5%,” she added.
‘The number of crimes involving minors has decreased’
According to the minister, the number of crimes involving minors fell by 4% compared with the previous year. Arpine Sargsyan attributes this decline to new legislation coming into force.
“In particular, with the support of our colleagues in the National Assembly, we passed a new law banning the sale to minors of items, devices, or tools resembling cold weapons,” she said.
The minister stressed that crime prevention also requires working with families and schools:
“Family members do not report crimes, and schools also fail to notify authorities. This year alone, I sent six requests to the Minister of Education regarding schools not providing the police with the necessary information.”
Father kills 3-year-old son: crime in Armenia
