Armenians celebrate Shushi liberation anniversary without liberators (video)
Armenians are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Shushi liberation on Monday without the liberators. Zhirayr Sefilyan, Pavlik Manukyan, Arayik Khandoyan and Samvel Babayan are in prison on various charges. “Not only are they ignored by the people who are in power [in Armenia] but they are also persecuted by them. Yes, they liberated our territories but our country is not liberated fully. And today, Zhirayr and his friends fell victims to this regime,” said Alek Yenigomshyan, a member of the Founding Parliament opposition group. The special battalion led by Lebanese-born Armenian military commander [Zhirayr Seflyan] participated in the liberation of Shushi in 1992. The battalion comprising mostly Diaspora Armenians did not put down arms even after the liberation of the city. Seflyan, a co-founder of the New Armenia Public Salvation Front, was arrested and sent to jail after the 2016 April war in Karabakh. Alek Yenigomshyan says his arrest was not accidental and the political persecution related to his harsh denunciations of the authorities. Moreover, the opposition leader was arrested after he blames the authorities for the loss of some 800 hectares of land to Azerbaijan amid the 4-day hostilities unleashed by Azerbaijan last April. “He [Sefilyan] was a person who would never be controlled by others. Zhirayr and his friends were chased and imprisoned because of telling the truth not only about the four-day war but for their disobedience to the authorities,” Mr Yenigomshyan continued. Zhirayr Sefilyan was put under arrest in June 2016 based on the testimony of two persons. He was charged under several articles at a time, including illegal arms trafficking and possession, attempt top seize several government buildings and telecommunication facilities in Yerevan. “From moral and political perspectives, this regime was to stand trial instead of Sefilyan and his friends,” Alek Yenigomshyan said. The case has been sent to court. If found guilty, Sefilyan faces up to 18 years in prison.
