Print this pageConscientious Objectors
Republic of Armenia
March 2012
Despite rulings by the European Court of Human Rights in Bayatyan v. Armenia and subsequent judgments, Armenia has not released the 52 Jehovah’s Witnesses who had been charged under the Criminal Code for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. They have been tried, convicted, and imprisoned; no one is being held in pretrial detention; no one received a suspended sentence. The names, dates of imprisonment, grounds (under criminal code1), duration of sentence and present locations of detention are as follows:
| Name | Date of Imprisonment | Grounds, Sentence | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safaryan, Grigor | September 4, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Arshakyan, Lyudvik | September 7, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Manukyan, Raphael | September 17, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Aghadjanyan, Karapet | September 22, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Kroyan, Artak | September 30, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Khanumyan, Spartak | December 28, 2009 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Vardanyan, Levon | January 18, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Pirapyan, Taron | March 2, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Torosyan, Artur | March 9, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sargsyan, Karapet | March 18, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Prutyan, Samvel | March 23, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Khachikyan, Ashot | March 29, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Martirosyan, David | March 29, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Nahapetyan, Arayik | April 9, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Arakelyan, Zorayr | April 14, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Seyranyan, Narek | April 22, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Tumanyan, Levon | May 6, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Khalatov, Rafael | May 19, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Chinaryan, Narek | May 21, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Pogosyan, Narek | May 24, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Tonoyan, Suren | June 9, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Khlghatyan, David | July 19, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Bagiryan, Andranik | August 2, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution | Ohandjanyan, Edouard | August 2, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Avakyan, Levon | August 3, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Davtyan, Alik | August 4, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Aghekyan, Sevak | August 5, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Khechoyan, Manuk | August 9, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Minasyan, Derenik | August 11, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Avetisyan, Vahe | August 13, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Engibaryan, Hakob | August 24, 2010 | § 327 I, 27 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Mnatsakanyan, Harutyun | August 25, 2010 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Arshakyan, Artashes | September 6, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Antonyan, Vardan | September 11, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Alikhanyan, Vahagn | September 24, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Artik Penal Institution |
| Khachatryan, Anri | September 29, 2010 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Poghosyan, Nikolay | October 21, 2010 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Musheghyan, Aharon | November 12, 2010 | § 327 I, 36 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Muradyan, David | December 30, 2010 | § 327 I, 18 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Voskanyan, Ashot | February 2, 2011 | § 327 I, 36 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sargsyan, Samvel | February 3, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Kirakosyan, Harutyun | March 9, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Nersisyan, Arman | March 14, 2011 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Geghamyan, Andranik | March 15, 2011 | § 327 I, 24 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Sargsyan, Hayk | April 8, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gasparyan, Hovik | April 11, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Kosh Penal Institution |
| Sardaryan, Hovhannes | July 1, 2011 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Adyan, Artur | July 7, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Nubarashen Penal Institution |
| Margaryan, Vahagn | July 7, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Nubarashen Penal Institution |
| Avetisyan, Garegin | July 19, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Nubarashen Penal Institution |
| Khachatryan, Harutyun | July 27, 2011 | § 327 I, 30 months | Vanadzor Penal Institution |
| Sargsyan, Edouard | August 6, 2011 | § 327 I, 24 months | Erebuni Penal Institution |
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).