NEW STATEMENT ON ARREST OF SEFILYAN AND MALKHASYAN

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 18 2006

The arrest of Jirair Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan cannot be
considered as the start of persecutions before the election. The
reason is that the persecutions started when the Bolshevists were
in power, and continue in independent Armenia. Paruir Hairikyan,
the leader of the National Self-Determination Union, described the
arrest of Sefilyan and Malkhasyan on December 18 at the Friday Club.

According to him, the government is afraid of polarization and took
this step to prevent the danger that threatened it. Even if we admit
that Jirair Sefilyan made an appeal for a coup, the punishment is
a fine, not arrest and charges, Paruir Hairikyan says. He disagrees
with Member of Parliament Manuk Gasparyan that Sefilyan was arrested
in connection with the problem of Akhalkalaki. Hairikyan says it is
an opinion which has the right to exist, but he thinks that Sefilyan’s
arrest is related to home problems.

Paruir Hairikyan also informed that the anti-criminal movement is
preparing a new statement on the arrest of Jirair Sefilyan and Vardan
Malkasyan, which runs that the government arrested Sefilyan to flatter
the West, namely the forces who support an agreement on settlement
of the Karabakh conflict to show that there are militaristic forces
in Armenia which may try to obstruct a peace settlement. Hence,
according to the new statement of the anti-criminal movement, the
government is trying to aggravate the situation and gain the support
of the West for reelection by means of manipulation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress