Sefilian, Members of Opposition Group Arrested in Yerevan

YEREVAN (A.W.)—Lebanese-born Armenian military commander and opposition political activist Jirair Sefilian was arrested in Yerevan on June 20 after Armenian authorities said he planned on leading an armed coup against the government. According to a statement released by Armenia’s Investigative Committee, a total of seven men—including Sefilian—were arrested in connection with the planned coup, and a large arsenal of weapons was confiscated.

Jirair Sefilian (Photo: Armenia Now)
Jirair Sefilian (Photo: Armenia Now)

The statement also said that the group headed by Sefilian planned to seize control of buildings and communications facilities, including Yerevan’s television tower “through armed groups in the framework of which [Sefilian] had organized illegal procurement, transportation of weapons and ammunition, as well as their illegal keeping.”

Following Sefilian’s arrest, his associates told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that he was taken into custody shortly after officers began searching the offices of his opposition group, the New Armenia Public Salvation Front. They also said the officers did not find any weapons there, but did confiscate five computers and some documents.

Less than two weeks before his arrest, Sefilian announced plans to set up a new opposition movement called the National Resistance Committee. “We have a treacherous government, and must create an alternative [to it] and take over the function of governing the country with the help of the people and the army as soon as possible,” Sefilian said on June 11, according to Azatutyun.am.

Sefilian, who took part in the defense of the Armenian quarters of Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War and participated in the defense of several districts of Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh) during the Artsakh Liberation War, has been previously arrested and charged for the illegal possession of a weapon and served a 1.5-year prison sentence in 2007.

Last year, Sefilian and four others were arrested for the organization of “mass disturbances at public places” but were eventually set free.

On Jan. 31, 2015, police and unidentified men blocked and assaulted around 40 cars led by Sefilian that were traveling from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabagh on the Goris-Stepanakert Highway near Berdzor, preventing them from crossing into Karabagh. The vehicles were carrying members of the group called Founding Parliament (previously known as Pre-Parliament), an opposition group whose aim is regime change in Armenia.

“False information was spread to those in Berdzor that we were armed. In addition to this, they were trying to convince people that the car rally, led by Jirair Sefilyan, was a plot to try to persuade soldiers to no longer serve in Artsakh, to abandon Artsakh and leave it unprotected,” read a statement released by the group. Once their plans to hold the car rally in Karabagh were made public, the group received a number of threats warning that the rally would be blocked, noted the statement.

 

 

 

6 Comments

  1. The whole Armenian nation should be very concerned as serjik is preparing the ground for treachery. Sefian’s arrest is part and parcel of that preparation. serjik has promised to give 5 out of the 7 liberated regions to the Azeris,this is the extend of his treachery by this corrupt and criminal regime.

    • {…serjik has promised to give 5 out of the 7 liberated regions to the Azeris…}

      Do have _any_ evidence to substantiate your accusation?
      How do you know what was promised?
      Were you there in the room in St. Petersburg with the 3 presidents?

      And how many days did you fight in Artsakh to give yourself license to call NKR war veteran, President of RoA, elected by 58% to 37%, ‘serjik’.

  2. There are several issues with this article

    1) The title of itself. Only 2 of the 7 other men have been identified so far and they do not have any connection with Sefilian.
    2) “large arsenal” in fact it was (supposedly) 2 Kalashnikovs
    3)”Less than two weeks before his arrest…” also should be mentioned that that was the time Sefilian said he is ready to reclaim the lands (8 square kilometers) that Sargsyan stated was not worth fighting for and that whoever wants to fight for it should do so. Essentially Sefilian picked up the gauntlet Sargsyan threw then arrested him on the same day as he was making a deal with Aliyev under the guidance of Putin.
    4) “Sefilian, who took part…” he didn’t just “participate” he was a commander in the Liberation of Shushi. The European court of justice found against the Armenian court which sentenced him to 1.5 years for weapons possession. The weapon in question was a gift given to him by the authorities for being a war hero of Artsakh.
    5) “Last year, … eventually set free” that case is still has not gone to trial and was yet another judicial farce. Sefilian was given a two month pretrial detention where he should not have been detained at all since the procedure in Armenia is that one is innocent until proven guilty. He was inexplicably released a month later and now over a year later there has still been no trial and the case is still open without any results or progress.

    For the sake of brevity I’ll stop there but what must be noted is that Sefilian is and has been persecuted for bringing to light the treasonous actions of the current regime. Setting aside all of our political views we Armenians, here and abroad, must be as one and with that one voice and one fist demand the release of Jirayr Sefilian.

  3. I wonder if these charges are real or not or whether they are politically motivated. I would guess the latter since Sefilian revealed that the territorial losses in the April war were a lot more than the government stated (300 square meters as opposed to 7 square kilometers actual). Perhaps this was a way of “silencing him”. Either way, these kinds of things are really ugly for us as a people, I wish there was another way. On one hand we cannot compromise Armenia’s security by one bit, on the other this is no way to treat an Artsakh war veteran.

    • Hagop, I agree it is no way to treat a great warrior and patriot like Sefilian. However, Mr. Sefilian has is not helping things. If you recall, his group and himself publicly announced last year that they were going to disrupt the April 24, 2015 commemoration in Yerevan: I have great respect for him, but after that…..I don’t know anymore.
      How can _any_ Armenian attempt to disrupt a once-in-100-years event?

      From the article above:
      {Less than two weeks before his arrest, Sefilian announced plans to set up a new opposition movement called the National Resistance Committee. “We have a treacherous government, and must create an alternative [to it] and take over the function of governing the country with the help of the people and the army as soon as possible,” Sefilian said on June 11, according to Azatutyun.am.}

      “…take over the function of governing the country with the help of the people and the army as soon as possible…”

      Is that what we want?

      Regarding the arrest and the charges: don’t know either way, but charges seem dubious. It is possible the group was arrested on made-up charges to prevent them doing anything unexpected during Pope’s visit. You never know.

  4. The authorities owe it to the Armenian people to be truthful. Clearly if Artsakh/Armenia lost so many soldiers in butchery and firepower, the enemy had been allowed to carry out the swift and violent progress and occupy Armenian lands.

    When will the authorities realize they need to work with heroes like Sefilian, and not against him. Providing misinformation to the people and/or arresting people who have loyalty to the nation (not enforcing agendas to the detriment of peace loving Armenia/Artakh), is not the answer.

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