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The judgment in the case of Jirayr Sefilyan and others was pronounced on 20 March 2018 at the Shengavit Seat (by judge Tatevik Grigoryan) of the General Jurisdiction Court of the City of Yerevan. Jirayr Sefilyan, the commander of the Shushi special military battalion, was convicted to the heaviest sentence—10 years and 5 months of imprisonment. Hovhannes Petrosyan, who collaborated with the law-enforcement bodies, received the most lenient sentence—2 years.

Gevorg Safaryan, member of the “Founding Parliament,” was convicted to 5 years and 5 months of imprisonment. Nerses Poghosyan, civil activist, father of three underage children, was convicted to 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment. Hrayr Topchyan and Sasunik Kirakosyan, heroes of the Artsakh war, as well as Galust Grigoryan, a duduk teacher, were each convicted to 3 years of imprisonment.

The trial that went on for about a year demonstrated the fabricated nature of the case. The fact is that the political persecution of Jirayr Sefilyan had begun years ago: he had been wiretapped since May 2014, on and off for over a year: according to the case materials, the National Security Service had been wiretapping Jirayr Sefilyan’s four telephone numbers, the Investigative Committee—three of his phone numbers, and the Police—two. This demonstrates that the political persecution was planned beforehand.

The examination of the physical evidence in the court was sufficient to understand how fabricated the charges were. Here is an incomplete list of the objects examined by the court: a rusty sword, two machine guns, 100 bullets, two wool blankets, yellow plastic helmets, a flag with the “Centenary without the Regime” inscription, flag poles, a megaphone, a Christmas tree, a military compass, discs with a “Jirayr Sefilyan” inscription, a notepad with a photo of the Garni temple, one dagger, a computer, and flyers that begin with the expression “Dear countrymen.”

As to the two machine guns and 100 bullets, Jirayr Sefilyan’s relationship to them was not substantiated during the trial: the only indirect evidence of it in the whole criminal case file is Hrayr Topchyan’s testimony, which he recanted in court, stating that his earlier testimony had been imposed on him by the pre-trial investigation authority under the threats.

We hereby state that this is nothing but persecution of an opposition political force—the “Founding Parliament,” indicating an encroachment against political activity. It would, thus, be naive to speak of fair trial under these circumstances. The responsibility for this political vendetta is born by those who gave the order, as well as those carrying it out, including the judges, investigators, prosecutors, and police officers.

We have recognized and do recognize Jirayr Sefilyan and others as political prisoners.

We address the international community inside Armenia and outside our country, stating that there are political prisoners in Armenia, who are persecuted for their political ideas through criminal sentences and lengthy prison terms.

We, the human rights organizations, declare that we shall exert every effort for the freedom of not only Jirayr Sefilyan, Gevorg Safaryan, Nerses Poghosyan, Hrayr Topchyan, Sasunik Kirakosyan, and Galust Grigoryan, but also all of our other fellow citizens wrongfully detained and convicted.

Helsinki Committee of Armenia Human Rights Defender NGO

Armenian Innocent Project HRDO
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly–Vanadzor

“Asparez” Journalists’ Club

Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center

Open Society Foundations-Armenia

Yeghegnadzor Youth Civic Center

Social Justice NGO

New Generation Humanitarian NGO

Peace Dialogue NGO

Hrazdan Youth Civic Center

Public Information and Need of Knowledge (PINK-Armenia) NGO

Helsinki Association

Protection of Rights without Borders NGO

Women’s Rights Center NGO

Ejmiatsin Branch of Association of Women with University Education

Real World, Real People NGO

Free Citizen NGO
Armavir Youth Civic Center
Khoran Ard Intellectual NGO

Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Center NGO

Foundation Against the Violation of Law NGO

Yerevan Press Club

Women’s Resource Center
Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation

Journalists for Human Rights NGO
Women’s Support Center NGO

Gavar Youth Civic Center
Vanadzor Youth Civic Center

Hrazdan Youth Civic Center

My Human Rights Defender NGO

Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression NGO

Institute of Public Policy NGO
Europe in Law Association NGO

Narine Galstyan