CRD / TI Election Monitor 2007 reports that “a Yerevan court has rejected the appeal of Lebanese-born former Karabakh commander Zhirayr Sefilyan who was arrested by National Security Service (NSS) agents in December.” Sefilyan’s pre-trial custody has been extended without any concrete evidence produced against him. Further on the Monitor reports:
[…]A vocal opponent of any concessions in negotiations to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Sefilyan stands accused of plotting the violent overthrow of the Government during the May election.
No concrete evidence has been produced, and Sefilyan remains in pre-trial custody that was recently extended. His supporters and opposition activists allege that Sefilyan’s detention was politically motivated and because he threatened to prevent any electoral fraud during the election.[…]
Bekaisa has re-published a highly emotional letter disseminated via the Armenian Dispute Club yahoo group. Here are some extracts (translated):
[…]Jiro will be kept in the KGB for two more months… then it will probably be extended by two more months and so on and so forth…
About 30 people were present in front of the court building with a couple of [protest] posters. 50% of those people are usually present in all actions [demonstrations] of this type! And a couple of people from Jiro’s batallion…[…]
Passers by were looking at the newly rennovated building of the court and probably feeling very happy that they have nothing to do with this building. And of course they would do everything not to have anything to do with demonstrators like us as well!
[…] But don’t these passers by worry at the perspective, that tomorrow they and their children will be put there too [into the court]!
