The only hope of the Armenian living in Sweden is Armenia’s attorneys
It is already more than 20 years since ethnic Armenian Sergey Sagiyan living in Sweden is fighting for receiving a citizenship in this country and restoring his rights. He told this to “Aravot”. He has applied to relevant authorities, lawyers and law enforcement officials in Sweden, has tried to raise the issue thru local and then international media but according to him, the Swedish authorities have tried to conceal their mistake, the lawyers and the media have refrained from talking about his case for not having any problem with the Swedish authorities. The last hope is Armenia and the Armenian media.
Everything started in 1995. He was one of the Armenians living in Baku and has travelled to Sweden to live with his sister. Here, he applied to the migration service for obtaining a citizenship but was refused.
“I married my girlfriend there. I applied to the migration service for receiving a citizenship but was rejected. Then, I went to Russia, living for one year there I came back to Sweden, it was in 1998. Here, I had problems with my wife and we got divorced. Some time later, I started a new relationship with another woman and we were living in her house. Again, I applied for the citizenship. In the meantime, until receiving a response from the migration service I had the right to stay in Sweden” – says Sergey Sagiyan and noted that later he found out that his documents at the migration service are lost, – We were told there that we can go and wait and they will call us. After waiting for about one year, I called the migration service. Speaking with them I felt that they are even unaware that I exist. Then, I realized that the documents are lost and in order to conceal it, they said that I was hiding from them and rejected my application. At that time, I was paying taxes as I was working, and my residence address was registered at the tax service as I was registered at my girlfriend’s home address, so I could not hide. I told that even if I were hidden, they could get my address from the tax service office, they just blamed me that I have not tried to cooperate with them.”
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In 2004, Sergei Sagiyan’s lawyer applied to the Swedish Migration Service for the second time for receiving citizenship, trying to show his the right to stay there, “This time, my lawyer submitted documents from the tax office about where I am living. He proved that he did not want to hide but was ready to cooperate. But when Aliens Appeals Board sent my papers to the migration service for consideration for the second time, I was again rejected with the same argument that I was hiding from them. In the meantime, the documents that my lawyer had submitted were lost and my lawyer was punished,” says our interlocutor noting that although the cause of the punishment is publicly stated a different one, he believes that is was because of dealing with his case.
Since then, he is fighting for his rights, trying to show that he never wanted to hide and there are no grounds to reject him. “To hide their mistake, they destroyed my documents. All my documents presented in 2000-2009 had disappeared. With all my documents, I had presented their mistake. I began appealing to all government agencies since 2006 to present what has happened to me. I have recorded my conversations with them, I can even show them.
And when the Migration Service rejected me again in 2009, I tried to show them their mistake. I contacted the High Court and told that I am requesting my documents submitted in 2000-2009. They told me that I cannot take them as they are not with them. They said that I can apply to the state archives. I applied to the archives to get my documents. They gave me some documents but they are only decisions. I asked them where the documents presented by my lawyer are, they said that they do not have them. I took the copies of all documents available there. I wonder how all the documents can be lost, this is a miracle,” says Sergey Sagiyan.
Sergei Sagiyan has applied to the Swedish Migration Service for the right to citizenship in 2011 and was rejected again. According to him, since then he is hiding from the Swedish authorities. He could re-apply for his right in 2015 but now, no lawyer takes his case. Sergey Sagiyan is sure that they refrain from having problems with the authorities.
“I have lost my passport, I cannot even be send to any country. I was afraid that I would be sent to Russia where I was last time, and from there, have no registration, I would be send to Azerbaijan. And you know how a person with Armenian last name is treated in Azerbaijan,” says Sergey Sagiyan.
Our interlocutor raises his problem so that the people would also understand that even in the most advanced country, they can play with human destiny, “I was not like this. When I was young, I loved to spend a good time, to go to different banquets, dance … I was feeling almighty, with full of energy … But because of this problem I spent my youth in fighting. As a result, I lost everything. I had problems in my personal life, was cut off my friends and relatives, lost my health … now, I’m alone with my problem but I gather the last efforts and want to fight once again. I am already fifty years old, if my this problem is resolved, I know that my life will change at once,” says Sergey Sagiyan.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN
P.S. Sergey Sagiyan handed over all his documents to “Aravot”. He hopes that at least in Armenia, he will get a help as a compatriot. He says that he has saved some money and will pay the lawyer who will wish to take his case and help him.
“Aravot” daily
