Armenia Investigates Army Abuse on YouTube Video

The detention of an Armenian army officer  for bullying soldiers has provided fresh proof that social media can make a difference in the area of human rights in the Caucasus. Armenian military officials decided to take action after a disturbing army hazing video surfaced on YouTube. The footage that shows the individuals physically abusing and humiliating young privates shocked Armenia, which has witnessed recently a streak of alleged suicides and murders in the army.

Military officials first tried to hold up the video as propaganda by Armenia's hostile neighbor, Azerbaijan, but, faced with a wave of public anger, the army police launched an investigation. Last week, the defense ministry said it had identified the man shown in the video hitting, pulling ears and pouring drinks over two youths in a military unit reportedly based in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. The names have not been released.