PROSECUTOR CLAIMS TO SENTENCE ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN TO THREE YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jul 30, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. During the July 30 court sitting
hearing the case filed against Zhirayr Sefilian, the coordinator of
the non-governmental civil initiative "In defence of the liberated
territories", prosecutor Artur Mkrtchian declared in his bill of
indictment that irrespective of the fact that the defendant has not
made direct calls for destroying the state authority by force, his
statements are the logical continuation of the speech made during
the meeting of the "Unification of Armenian Volunteers" organization
containing similar calls, which was held on December 2, 2006 by Vardan
Malkhasian, a member of the political board of the "Homeland and Honor"
party, who is the second defendant of the case. The prosecutor also
insisted on the charge filed against Zhirayr Sefilian for carrying
an illegal weapon. M. Mkrtchian cited the notifications received by
the management of the RA Ministry of Defence and the Defence Army of
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, according to which Zhirayr Sefilian
should have handed over the "Makarov" weapon, which he has not done,
and that he has not been allowed to carry a weapon in the Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh.

According to the prosecutor, "there is no data about rewarding Jirayr
Sefilian with a nominal weapon."

It should be mentioned that the defendant side had introduced the
document about rewarding Z. Sefilian with a nominal "Makarov" weapon
by Samvel Babayan, the former Commander of the Defence Army of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, to the court. In addition to this,
according to the notification presented by the defensive side, there
is also a permission for carrying a weapon, which is in force until
May 21, 2008.

The prosecutor also insisted on the charge filed against defendant
Vahan Aroyan for keeping illegal arms and ammunition.

A. Mkrtchian made a petition to sentence Zhirayr Sefilian and
Vahan Aroyan to three and V. Malkhasian to two and a half year of
imprisonment.

The defensive side will make speeches at the July 31 sitting.