Sefilyan's arrest linked to the coming parliamentary elctions? Armenian media reluctant to cover…

Onnik Krikoryan reprots on the protest rally staged on February 2nd, outside the Chamber Music Hall, Yerevan in support of former Karabakh commander, Lebanese-born Zhirayr Sefilyan, who was arrested in December charged with planning to overthrow the Government, which Onnik had previously covered at the Eurasianet. The atmosphere around the event makes Onnik wondering about possible political scenario in the arrest:

Firstly, I don’t agree with Sefilyan’s position on the Karabakh negotiations which are still underway and apparently gaining momentum, and I certainly don’t agree with the opinion of some of his supporters who were in attendance today. Anyway, that’s not the point. What is of concern is that a lot of unanswered questions linger about the charges brought against Sefilyan, and especially as no evidence has yet to be presented to the public.
Instead, there appears to be legitimate grounds for concern that the real reason for Sefilyan’s arrest, along with that of colleague Vardan Malkhasyan, was political and linked to the coming 2007 parliamentary elections.

On another post here Onnik reflects on the media coverage of the demonstration and demonstrates dangerous patterns there, with implied self-censorship and limitations of freedom of speech on such an obvously major issue as “plotting to overthrow the Government”.

Not newsworthy enough? Right, I mean, the guy is only accused of plotting to overthrow the Government. It’s not as if he simply ran a red light. Regardless, there were few TV cameras there, and mainly newspaper hacks.

So anyway, to read the full posts visit Oneworld Multimedia.

Artur Papyan

Journalist, blogger, digital security and media consultant

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