Jirayr Sefilyan arrested: Police search premises of Sardarapat Movement (video)
18.00 The search started by the Armenian Police in the office of Sardarapat Movement on Monday lasted about two hours. Varujan Avetisyan, a member of the Founding Parliament opposition movement, says Karabakh war veteran Jirayr Sefilyan was detained before the start of the search. The investigators who were carrying out the search took with them numerous old documents, two computers, three notebooks which did not belong to the movement. Varujan Avetisyan says Sefilyan’s detention is politically motivated. Sefilyan was the first to speak about the situation in the country and Serzh Sargsyan’s unlawful actions, including the surrender of territories. 14.42 Police in Armenia are conducting a search in the premises of the Sardarapat Movement led by Karabakh war veteran Jirayr Sefilyan. When reporters knocked on the door of the office, a police officer dressed in black and wearing a mask opened the door and closed it shortly afterwards. Numerous policemen are grouped in the yard. No one in the neighbourhood seems to have any information as to when and under what conditions police arrested Jirayr Sefilyan. Members of the Founding Parliament movement cannot be contacted on the phone. 13.43 Police officers, who arrived at the scene of an accident that occurred on Tsitsernakaberd highway in Yerevan on May 20 2016, found two AK-74 rifles with 120 bullets in one of the cars. The driver and passenger of the car were detained on suspicion of acquiring, carrying and transporting illegal arms and ammunition. Also, a criminal case was initiated under Article 235.2 of the Armenian Criminal Code. The investigation revealed that one of the detainees, Jirayr Sefilyan had come to an agreement with an armed group to take over buildings, important structures and communication centres, including Yerevan TV Tower. For that purpose, they purchased illegal weapons and ammunition and hid them in different places. Moreover, some members of the group had planned to carry out criminal actions during the four-day war in early April. The police found part of the illegal weapons at the scene of an accident on May 20. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation of the case, eight people were charged with acquisition, possession transportation of illegal arms and ammunition. Six of them were arrested and a manhunt has been announced for a seventh member of the group. Police state that some of those arrested have confessed to the arms charges. Jirayr Sefilyan was arrested on June 20 for organizing purchase and possession of illegal arms and ammunition by a group of people, the Investigative Committee reports.
