Nikol Pashinyan, lawmaker from the opposition Armenian National Congress faction, condemns the political persecution against Zhirayr Sefilyan.
At today's extraordinary session of the Parliament, Pashinyan said that the case instituted against Sefilyan 1.5 years ago has not been completed yet. There is no pre-trial investigation either. Now the third case is being instituted against one and the same person. "I condemn the new political persecution under the guise of a criminal case. I think the country should get rid of the notion "political prisoner" as soon as possible. I condemn the arrest of Zhirayr Sefilyan and other political prisoners," the MP said.
On June 20, 2016, Zhirayr Sefilyan was detained on suspicion of organizing a criminal group. 8 persons face charges of acquisition and keeping of weapons and ammunition. 6 have been arrested and 1 is wanted. According to the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, Sefilyan and his supporters were planning to seize buildings of state importance in early April. Earlier, New Armenia activist Karo Yeghnukyan said that Sefilyan was detained at Sardarapat.