Jehovah's Witnesses in Armenia
Imprisonment of conscientious objectors to military service
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH*
(October 31, 2006)
Currently, there are 46 Jehovah's Witnesses who are in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. Of these, 38 have been tried and convicted and 8 have been charged and are awaiting trial. The names, dates of imprisonment, sentences, grounds (under criminal code1), duration of punishment and present locations are as follows:
Thirty eight Jehovah's Witnesses have been tried and convicted:
| Name |
Date of Imprisonment |
Grounds/Sentence |
Location |
| *Areg Avanesyan |
February 16, 2005 |
§ 327 III2, 48 months |
Shushi Penal Institution |
| Senik Petrosyan |
December 6, 2005 |
§ 327 I3, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Tigran Baldryan |
December 13, 2005 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Avetik Yenokyan |
December 13, 2005 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sheram Baghoyan |
December 16, 2005 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Levon Yeremyan |
December 23, 2005 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Jirayr Mosoyan |
December 26, 2005 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gor Gevorgyan |
January 4, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hovhannes Vardanyan |
January 4, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Khachik Kerobyan |
January 11, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hayk Ohanyan |
January 12, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Eduard Ghazaryan |
February 7, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vigen Pogosyan |
February 9, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Kerob Safaryan |
February 9, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Artem Svazyan |
February 15, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Henrik Danielyan |
February 15, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karen Kishmiryan |
February 25, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hamlet Najaryan |
February 27, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Kamo Tadevosyan |
February 27, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Garik Begjanyan |
April 4, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Samvel Davtyan |
April 4, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Karen Soghoyan |
May 2, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hayk Mghitaryan |
May 18, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sarkis Hakopyan |
May 24, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hrach Tsaturyan |
May 30, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Aram Davtyan |
July 3, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Artur Stepanyan |
July 3, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Sarkis Saroyan |
July 3, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hayk Avetisyan |
July 17, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Tigran Hovhannisyan |
July 19, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| David Mirzoyan |
July 20, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Hovhannes Yavrumyan |
August 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Edgar Kirakosyan |
August 2006 |
§ 327 I, 24 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Gor Sukiasyan |
August 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Mushegh Avetisyan |
August 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Argishti Eghiazaryan |
September 11, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Daniel Alaverdyan |
September 15, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 18 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
| Vahagn Yeghiazaryan |
September 20, 2006 |
§ 327 I, 30 months |
Erebuni Penal Institution |
Eight Jehovah's Witnesses have been charged and are awaiting trial:
| Name |
Date Charged |
Grounds |
Location |
Asatur Sargsyan |
August 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Jirayr Zakaryan |
September 2, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Hayk Gogjyan |
September 6, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Vahe Mejlumyan |
September 6, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Nikol Yervandyan |
September 6, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Karen Poghtukyan |
September 12, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Nikolay Gasparyan |
September 25, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
Taron Lalayan |
September 25, 2006 |
§ 327 I |
Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution |
1 The Criminal Code of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is fully identical to that of the Republic of Armenia.
2 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.
3 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 3 years (modified 16.12.2005).
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