JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

For Immediate Release
May 28, 2007

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Conscientious Objectors

REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH*
May 1, 2007

Currently, there are 73 Jehovah's Witnesses who are in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. Of these, 63 have been tried and convicted and 10 have been charged and are awaiting their trial. The names, dates of imprisonment, grounds (under criminal code 1), the duration of punishment and present locations are as follows:

Sixty-three Jehovah's Witnesses have been tried and convicted:

Name Date of Imprisonment Grounds/Sentence Location
*Areg Avanesyan February 16, 2005 § 327 III , 48 months2 Shushi Penal Institution
Senik Petrosyan December 6, 2005 § 327 I , 18 month3 Erebuni Penal Institution
Avetik Yenokyan December 13, 2005 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Tigran Baldryan December 13, 2005 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Jirayr Mosoyan December 26, 2005 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Gor Gevorgyan 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
Levon Fahradyan February 8, 2006 § 327 I, 20 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Kerob Safaryan February 9, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Vigen Pogosyan February 9, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Artem Svazyan February 15, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Henrik Danielyan February 15, 2006 § 327 I, 18 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
Gagik Begjanyan April 4, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Samvel Davtyan April 4, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Artur Vanyan April 13, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Karen Tsughunyan April 13, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Martiros Vanyan April 13, 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
Hrachya Tsaturyan May 30, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Aram Davtyan July 3, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Artur Stepanyan July 3, 2006 § 327 I, 24 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 20, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Edgar Kirakosyan August 22, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Gor Sukiasyan August 22, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Asatur Sargsyan August 24, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Mushegh Avetisyan August 30, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Jirayr Zakaryan September 2, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Gevorg Karapetyan September 6, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Hayk Gogjyan September 6, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Nikol Yervandyan September 6, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Vahe Mejlumyan September 6, 2006 § 327 I, 36 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Artur Hovhannisyan September 7, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Hovhannes Karapetyan September 7, 2006 § 327 I, 22 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Argishti Eghiazaryan September 11, 2006 § 327 I , 30 months4 Erebuni Penal Institution
Karen Botukyan September 12, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Artik Penal Institution
Artak Kocharyan September 12, 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
Nikolay Gasparyan September 25, 2006 § 327 I, 36 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Taron Lalayan September 25, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Artik Penal Institution
Hovhannes Khachatryan November 22, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Artik Penal Institution
Narek Ohanjanyan November 28, 2006 § 327 I, 18 months Artik Penal Institution
Vahe Musaelyan November 28, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Erebuni Penal Institution
Hrachya Khachatryan December 8, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Albert Balyan December 13, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Artik Penal Institution
Emil Hyrapetyan December 21, 2006 § 327 I, 24 months Artik Penal Institution
Gagik Kochinyan December 27, 2006 § 327 I, 30 months Artik Penal Institution
Yerem Hovhannisyan January 10, 2007 § 327 I, 36 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Sayad Tovmasyan January 10, 2007 § 327 I, 36 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
David Gyozalyan January 12, 2007 § 364 I , 18 months5 Goris Pretrial Detention Institution
Aram Yelchyan February 13, 2007 § 327 I, 30 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Gevorg Hovsepyan March 3, 2007 § 327 I, 30 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Gnuni Barseghyan March 16, 2007 § 327 I, 24 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Vahan Babayan March 16, 2007 § 327 I, 30 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Hakop Babayan March 16, 2007 § 327 I, 27 months Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution

Ten Jehovah's Witnesses have been charged and are awaiting their trial:

Name Date of Imprisonment Grounds/Sentence Location
Karapet Barseghyan February 7, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Senik Harutyunyan February 15, 2007 § 327 I Artik Penal Institution
Armen Zurabyan February 27, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Sevada Grigoryan March 12, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Bagrat Pirgulyan March 15, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Karen Safaryan March 15, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Vigen Yeghiazaryan March 15, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Kajik Harutyunyan March 18, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Gevorg Karapetyan April 5, 2007 § 327 I Nubarashen Pretrial Detention Institution
Armen Kirakosyan April 18, 2007 § 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).

4  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).

5  Article 364 I states:  1. Refusal by a serviceman from performing one's military service or some duties thereof, if this was accompanied with their actual disruption, is punish with arrest for the term of up to 3 months, or with disciplinary battalion for the term of up to 2 years, or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

 
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