“The authorities plan new conspiracies against Jirair Sefilian”, said lawyer Tigran Hayrapetyan.
He said that in his last speech at the court Sefilian made some statements, made predictions that soon the Armenian people will reunite and achieve the desired result, and now the authorities are preparing a new charge based on a new article. “There is nothing in his last speech to be a basis for a new criminal prosecution”.
Hayrapetyan said he had been in Armavir penitentiary, and conveyed the information provided by the investigator to Jirair Sefilian. When he learned that a new charge was being prepared for his last words, he said: “They want to silence us, to silence us is impossible. The current regime does not have the resources to turn Armenia into North Korea, so soon it will pass away, and it is clear that these are actions of agony”.
In response to our question whether what threatens Sefilian as a result of the charge, Hayrapetyan said: “Perhaps they consider that 10.5 years is a little punishment, they may give another 10-20 years, and imprison Sefilian for up to 25 years”.
In his last speech, Sefilian predicts the future and makes a political analysis that the Armenian people will unite and liberate Armenia and whether what exactly is being prepared, according to him, is more for silencing the people living abroad, so that everyone understands one cannot have freedom of speech.
Tigran Hayrapetyan said that Sefilian’s verdict should have been sent to the parties within five days but has not been sent, it is already 3 weeks that there is no verdict. “Sefilian did not have an opportunity express himself within 10 months of trial, and when he conveyed his last speech via his lawyer, now he might be charged for his words. This once again confirms that it is just an illusion that a person, especially opposition politicians, have the right to free speech, the right to express or practice political activity”.
As for Karo Yeghnukyan, he said that when the story of his illness was introduced, the court appointed an examination to find out whether Yeghnukyan can participate in the court sessions or not. “The state clearly resorts to the policy that the court, the expert center does not work in any way, we cannot achieve anything in Armenia. A person’s life is in danger, a psychological torture is implemented. This can lead to the murder of a person. The state is obliged to intervene, enabling the defendant to present his rights in a prescribed manner. Later, if an accident happens, let no one say that he was not informed beforehand, because all medical records are available. An ambulance was constantly called within a week, his blood pressure rose to 220, 260, fortunately, there was no paralysis or stroke.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
