Update on prisoners of conscience in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
As of October 2008, in Armenia there are 74 Jehovah’s Witnesses in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds, and in Nagorno-Karabakh one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is in prison for his conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. It is hoped that alternative civilian service that is truly nonmilitary in nature will soon be an option available to young men like these.
Conscientious Objectors
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
October 31, 2008
Currently, there are 74 Jehovah’s Witnesses who are in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. Of these, 73 have been tried and convicted and 1 has been charged and is awaiting his trial. Moreover, 1 Jehovah’s Witness received a suspended sentence. The names, dates of imprisonment, grounds (under criminal code 1), the duration of punishment and present locations are as follows:
Seventy-four Jehovah’s Witnesses have been tried and convicted:
| Name | Date of Imprisonment | Grounds/Sentence | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aram Davtyan | July 3, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hayk Avetisyan | July 17, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gor Sukiasyan | August 22, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Mushegh Avetisyan | August 30, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Jirayr Zakaryan | September 2, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Nikol Yervandyan | September 6, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahe Mejlumyan | September 6, 2006 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Argishti Eghiazaryan | September 11, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Artak Kocharyan | September 12, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahagn Yeghiazaryan | September 20, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Nikolay Gasparyan | September 25, 2006 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Taron Lalayan | September 25, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Hovhannes Khachatryan | November 22, 2006 | § 327 I, 24 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Vahe Musaelyan | November 28, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gagik Qochinyan | December 5, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Hrachya Khachatryan | December 8, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Vanadzor Institution |
| Albert Balyan | December 13, 2006 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Emil Hyrapetyan | December 21, 2006 | § 327 I, 24 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Yerem Hovhannisyan | January 10, 2007 | § 327 I, 36 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Sayad Tovmasyan | January 10, 2007 | § 327 I, 36 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Karapet Barseghyan | February 7, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Aram Yelchyan | February 13, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Senik Harutyunyan | February 15, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Armen Zurabyan | February 27, 2007 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gevorg Hovsepyan | March 3, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sevada Grigoryan | March 12, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Bagrat Pirgulyan | March 15, 2007 | § 327 I, 26 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karen Safaryan | March 15, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vigen Yeghiazaryan | March 15, 2007 | § 327 I, 27 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hakob Babayan | March 16, 2007 | § 327 I, 27 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahan Babayan | March 16, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Kajik Harutyunyan | March 18, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gevorg Karapetyan | April 5, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Armen Kirakosyan | April 18, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Nshan Gevorgyan | July 17, 2007 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| David Aroyan | August 3, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Edgar Hakobyan | August 7, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Andranik Aghekyan | August 8, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Ashot Qaryan | August 9, 2007 | § 327 I, 26 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Zora Melkonyan | August 13, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Hayk Madatyan | August 11, 2007 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karen Smbatyan | August 14, 2007 | § 327 I, 22 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Arman Ayvazyan | August 14, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Henrik Ghazaryan | August 23, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Levon Azizyan | August 23, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Argam Vardanyan | August 29, 2007 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gor Kirakosyan | September 21, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Mkrtich Smbatyan | September 26, 2007 | § 327 I, 22 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Stepan Hovakimyan | September 26, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Babken Shahinyan | December 5, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Roman Hovhannisyan | December 17, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Garik Gevorgyan | December 25, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Samson Indzigulyan | December 25, 2007 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Harutyun Vardazaryan | January 9, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hrayr Mkrtchyan | January 14, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hovhannes Arakelyan | January 18, 2008 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Araz Arshakyan | February 5, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Armen Mardoyan | February 5, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Hamayak Eminyan | February 6, 2008 | § 327 I, 27 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Davit Petrosyan | February 7, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Martun Hovsepyan | February 7, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Zirayr Karyan | March 6, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Arman Kareyan | March 7, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Ashot Simonyan | March 12, 2008 | § 327 I, 36 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Hovik Stepanyan | March 31, 2008 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karo Aleksanyan | April 4, 2008 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| David Arakelyan | April 7, 2008 | § 327 I, 12 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahe Ananyan | April 8, 2008 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karen Voskanyan | April 11, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahram Baghramyan | June 3, 2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
| Mkhitar Sargsyan | July17, 2008 | § 327 I,36 months | Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
| Gevorg Danughyan | August 8,2008 | §327 I, 24 months | Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
| Mher Barseghyan | August 25,2008 | § 327 I, 30 months | Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
One Jehovah’s Witness has been charged and is awaiting his trial:
| Tigran Melikyan | July 30, 2008 | § 327 I | Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
One Jehovah’s Witness received a suspended sentence:
| Aghesi Yeghiazaryan | May 7, 2007 | §70 I, 24 months |
1 Article 327 I states: Evasion from recurring draft military or alternative service call-up, training exercise or mobilization, without any order defined by Legislation of the RA as grounds for exemption, is punished with arrest for a maximum term of two months, or imprisonment for a maximum term of three years (modified 16.12.2005).
Conscientious Objector
NAGORNO-KARABAKH*
October 31, 2008
Currently, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is in prison for his conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. The name, date of imprisonment, ground (under criminal code 1), the duration of punishment and present location are as follows:
One of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been tried and convicted:
| Name | Date of Imprisonment | Grounds/Sentence | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Areg Avanesyan | February 16, 2005 | § 327 III1, 327 I 48 months | Shushi Penal Institution |
* The Criminal Code of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is fully identical to that of the Republic of Armenia.
1 Article 327 III states: The action envisaged in part 1 or 2 of this article, if committed in conditions of martial law, at time of war or during military actions, is punished with imprisonment from 4 to 8 years.
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