NCI TACKLES POLITICAL PRISONERS’ ISSUE
Support A1+!Yerevan—Today the National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI), together with the parliamentary group that is investigating the true motives behind the recent arrests of Colonels Zhirair Sefilian and Vardan Malkhasian, devoted volunteers of the national quest for liberty and self-defense, convened a roundtable to examine the real reasons for these arrests. The meeting brought together social and political activists, human rights advocates, NGO officials, MPs, and media representatives.
NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian welcomed the audience with opening remarks. “The widespread corruption, permissiveness, and arbitrariness—demonstrated by the very public seizure of Sefilian and Malkhasian nearly three months ago—by the ruling clique are growing worse. What is more, in the run-up to the parliamentary elections they are becoming more apparent,” he said.
In his intervention, Aram G. Sargsian, member of the investigative group of parliament, briefly presented its preliminary findings. He explained the formation of the parliamentary group by stating that the arrests of these freedom fighters are more political than criminal in context. He also added that such unlawful actions must be prevented in concert with the body politic. “Instead of the real criminals, they are apprehending national heroes,” Sargsian maintained.
Defense attorney Vahe Grigorian pointed to the absence of any legal justification for keeping Sefilian and Malkhasian in custody. “All matters have been cleared up and therefore it is absurd that they are still incarcerated,” he asserted. In Grigorian’s words, his client Zhirair Sefilian is refusing to provide testimony to the investigators because he is convinced that they are mere lackeys and blindly carry out the political instructions given from “above.”
MP Hmayak Hovhannisian reflected on the Armenian version of Article 301, which clearly curtails the freedom of speech in the country. He recommended that this provision be removed from the Criminal Code.
The next speaker, Armen Aghayan of the “Defense of Liberated Territories” public initiative, spoke about the political motives behind the criminal persecutions unleashed against Sefilian and Malkhasian. Aghayan also presented a pamphlet containing Zhirair Sefilian’s responses given to the questions posed to him by the parliamentarians. In the pamphlet, Sefilian stipulates in particular that if calling for a change in government is a crime then at least half of Armenia’s population should be put on trial.
The remainder of the session was dedicated to exchanges of views and recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists in attendance. Noteworthy were interventions by Armenia’s first Ombudswoman Larisa Alaverdian; Academician Lenser Aghalovian; MPs Gagik Kostandian, Albert Bazeyan, Stepan Zakarian, and Hrant Khachatrian; publicist Hrair Ulubabian; Arsen Kharatian of the “Scientific Development” NGO; former MP Khachik Stamboltsian; Sefilian’s long-time friend Garegin Ghazarian; and several others.
In his closing remarks, Hovsep Khurshudian underlined that “not only Sefilian and Malkhasian, but all of society is in need of liberation. Sefilian is not giving testimony, but instead the public resonance, one example of which is today’s roundtable, is speaking in his favor.”
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association founded in December 2001 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian, his colleagues, and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing the rule of law and overall improvements in the state of the state, society, and public institutions. The National Citizens’ Initiative is guided by a Coordinating Council, which includes individual citizens and representatives of various public, scientific, and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the Initiative’s work and outreach.
