Armenia: YouTube Video Helps Put Army Bully in Prison

Social media idealists no doubt will take note of this "impact story" from Armenia, to use non-profit parlance. After a YouTube video of the act helped launch an investigation, an Armenian court last week jailed an army officer for abuse of his subordinates, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has reported.

On December 9, a court in the regional town of Kapan handed down a three-year prison sentence for abuse of power to Major Sasun Galstian, a former deputy commander of an Armenian army unit in breakaway Nagorno Karabakh. Galstian pled guilty to the charge.

Meanwhile, a trial is still pending for Private Manvel Azroian, who shot dead four fellow soldiers in another Armenian military unit in Nagorno Karabakh on November 19-20.

Defense officials have promised to stamp out army violence, but some public skepticism persists about how effective any such crackdown will be.