Armenian law-enforcement bodies detain opposition activist Zhirayr Sefilian
20.06.2016,
15:04
Armenia’s Investigative Committee (IC) has confirmed today the detention of a Nagorno-Karabakh war veteran and a radical opposition activist Zhirayr Sefilian, saying the man is suspected of planning to seize the Yerevan TV tower.
YEREVAN, June 20. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Investigative Committee (IC) has confirmed today the detention of a Nagorno-Karabakh war veteran and a radical opposition activist Zhirayr Sefilian, saying the man is suspected of planning to seize the Yerevan TV tower.
According to an IC statement, on May 20 police detained the driver of a car and another man who had been involved in a traffic accident in Yerevan after finding two AK-74 rifles with 120 bullets in their car. The driver and the other man were taken to the police station on suspicion of illegal possession and transportation of weapons and ammunition.
A criminal case was initiated on the second part of Article 235 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices by a group of persons by prior agreement).
"An investigation carried out by the Investigative Committee established the identities of the two men and the circumstances related to the illicit trafficking of weapons," according to the statement.
In particular, the investigation revealed that Zhirayr Sefilyan and a group of people planned to use weapons to seize buildings and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV Tower. To that end they organized illegal purchase, transportation and storage of weapons and ammunition.
"The members of the group had planned to carry out certain criminal actions in the aftermath of the April war," the statement says.
It also says based on collected evidence eight people were charged, six of them were arrested and one declared wanted.
"The charges are supported by evidence and also the confessions of members of the group. On June 20, 2016 Zhirayr Sefilyan was detained on suspicion of illegal purchase, sale, possession of weapons and ammunition, committed by a group of persons by prior agreement," the press release says.
On December 10, 2006 Sefilyan, together with a colleague Vardan Malkhasyan had been arrested on charges of public calls for o violent change of the constitutional order and was convicted of illegal possession of weapons. He was sentenced subsequently to 18 months in prison. He was released in June 2008.
On April 7, 2015 Sefilyan, along with four other leaders of the "Constituent Parliament" organization was arrested on suspicion of plotting a riot. He was released a month later.-- 0--
According to an IC statement, on May 20 police detained the driver of a car and another man who had been involved in a traffic accident in Yerevan after finding two AK-74 rifles with 120 bullets in their car. The driver and the other man were taken to the police station on suspicion of illegal possession and transportation of weapons and ammunition.
A criminal case was initiated on the second part of Article 235 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices by a group of persons by prior agreement).
"An investigation carried out by the Investigative Committee established the identities of the two men and the circumstances related to the illicit trafficking of weapons," according to the statement.
In particular, the investigation revealed that Zhirayr Sefilyan and a group of people planned to use weapons to seize buildings and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV Tower. To that end they organized illegal purchase, transportation and storage of weapons and ammunition.
"The members of the group had planned to carry out certain criminal actions in the aftermath of the April war," the statement says.
It also says based on collected evidence eight people were charged, six of them were arrested and one declared wanted.
"The charges are supported by evidence and also the confessions of members of the group. On June 20, 2016 Zhirayr Sefilyan was detained on suspicion of illegal purchase, sale, possession of weapons and ammunition, committed by a group of persons by prior agreement," the press release says.
On December 10, 2006 Sefilyan, together with a colleague Vardan Malkhasyan had been arrested on charges of public calls for o violent change of the constitutional order and was convicted of illegal possession of weapons. He was sentenced subsequently to 18 months in prison. He was released in June 2008.
On April 7, 2015 Sefilyan, along with four other leaders of the "Constituent Parliament" organization was arrested on suspicion of plotting a riot. He was released a month later.-- 0--
