Court Ruling on Sasna Tsrer Group's Criminal Case Has Entered into Legal Force

The Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia has issued a statement regarding the publications in the media about the arrests of members of the "Sasna Tsrer" group.

In response to the media publications regarding the "Sasna Tsrer" group, we inform that on February 24, 2021, the first instance court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan made a ruling in the criminal case No. EED/0091/01/17, which entered into legal force on May 26, 2022.

Therefore, the judicial act that entered into legal force on May 27, 2022, has been handed over to the police of the Republic of Armenia and relevant correctional institutions for the execution of the court’s requirements, based on which the convicted individuals are subject to transfer to correctional facilities to serve the unserved part of their imposed sentences.

Early this morning, members of the Sasna Tsrer group, Varuzhan Avetisyan, Mkhitar Avetisyan, Gagik Yeghiazaryan, Areg Kyuregyan, Sedrak Nazaryan, Edward Grigoryan, and Pavel Manukyan were taken in for questioning by the police. This was announced by the Council of the National-Democratic Axis.

The court issued verdicts concerning the 10 members of the armed group "Sasna Tsrer" accused of seizing the patrol service battalion on February 24, 2021. Accordingly, Pavel Manukyan was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment, Varuzhan Avetisyan to 7 years, Armen Mkhitaryan to 7 years, Edward Grigoryan to 6 years, Gagik Yeghiazaryan to 7 years, Areg Kyuregyan to 7 years, and Sedrak Nazaryan to 8 years of imprisonment. The criminal prosecution against Arayik Khandoyan was discontinued on the grounds of his death. The 1 million 500 thousand drams paid by Vahram Petrosyan for Khandoyan's release from custody will be returned to Petrosyan or his authorized representative.

Smbat Barseghyan, accused of the murders of police officers Arthur Vanoyan and Yuri Tephanosyan, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Armen Bilyan, accused of murdering police officer Gagik Mkrtchyan, was acquitted and released from the courtroom, despite the prosecutor requesting a 21-year sentence for him.

It should be noted that the court considered the periods of detention during the pre-trial and trial proceedings for the final determination of penalties.

Recall that in July 2016, an armed group calling itself "Sasna Tsrer" infiltrated the territory of the patrol service battalion, which it held under its control for half a month. During these events, three police officers were killed.