Political prisoner Mkrtich Sapeyan released in Armenia

Activist of the opposition Mkrtich Sapeyan was welcomed by his relatives and colleagues, including former political prisoners, when he was released from the prison hospital after expiry of his term.

"Yes, we were in prison - and what could we do? This country has no laws. Now, I'll fight for release of the comrades who are still there," Mr Sapeyan said upon leaving the corrective establishment.

A veteran of the Karabakh War, head of the Aragatsotn Regional Branch of the Combatant Organization "Union of Volunteers 'Erkrapa'" ("erkrapa" means "homeland defender", - comment of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent) and chairman of pre-election office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the city of Talin, Aragatsotn Region, Mkrtich Sapeyan and his brother Zhora Sapeyan were arrested on January 27, 2008, and convicted to 2 and 2.5 years of imprisonment, accordingly, under Article 258 - "hooliganism".

Mkrtich and Zhora Sapeyan, the latter being the head of Ter-Petrosyan's pre-election office in the city of Maralik of the same region, were arrested because of the fight that burst out during a pre-election meeting of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, which was provoked, in the opinion of the opposition, by a resident of Talin Sargis Karapetyan. The latter swore at the address of the ex-president, a quarrel began, as a result of which Sapeyan brothers were arrested.

The brothers' defence had repeatedly stated that their clients committed no hooligan actions.

Zhora Sapeyan is still in prison.