23:10, 4 October 2012

ECtHR obliges Armenia to pay compensation to former political prisoner Zhirair Sefilyan

According to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Armenia is to pay Zhirair Sefilyan, the coordinator of the public initiative "Union of Armenian Volunteers", a participant of the Karabakh war, compensation in the amount of 6000 euros.

The "Caucasian Knot" reported that in 2006, Zhirair Sefilyan was arrested on charges of public calls for violent overthrow of the government. The activist was released in June 2008.

Today, Zhirair Sefilyan stated that on October 2, the ECtHR pronounced the decision that wiretapping of his telephone conversations prior to his detention in 2006, then the very detention, arrest and keeping him in custody for eight months were committed in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guaranteed freedom an individual, his or her rights and prohibited the state to interfere with individual's private life without sufficient legal grounds.

Zhirair Sefilyan believes that his arrest was an attempt of the authorities to take vengeance on political opponents.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan

Source: CK correspondent