18:00, 29 July 2010

In Armenia, released oppositionist wants to continue his struggle for freedom

Zhora Sapeyan, a member of the "Republic" Party and an activist of the opposition, who was released today after 2.5 years of imprisonment, said that he would continue his struggle against the ruling clique of Armenia.

Mr Sapeyan was sentenced to his 2.5 years of imprisonment on charges of hooliganism committed in the course of the 2008 presidential pre-election campaign. Today in the morning he was released upon expiry of his punishment term. On January 29 this year, his brother Mkrtich Sapeyan, also accused of hooliganism, got at large after his term of punishment.

"Irrespective of where I am - at large or in prison - I'll put all my efforts to make people in Armenia live freely," Zhora Sapeyan told his party colleagues and relatives who met him at the gate of the prison. "I pity greatly all the political prisoners who are still imprisoned, especially Sasum Mikaelyan. Being a strong person, he hides that he is heavily sick. If the authorities were at least slightly humane, they would place him into the city hospital," he said.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan

Source: CK correspondent