Two opposition political parties (Heritage and the Armenian National Congress) have declared that those arrested and recently found guilty on a number of charges in Yerevan last November 5 for staging what they called a ‘revolution’ are political prisoners.

Shant Harutyunyan, the event organizer was sentenced to six years imprisonment on October 17 on the charge of “hooliganism committed with a weapon or another item used as a weapon”.

His 15 year-old son Shahen was sentenced to four years.

Of the others Vahe Mkrtchyan received 7 years (hoolganism and committing violence against an officer); Albert Margaryan received 6 years; Liparit Petrosyan and Avetis Avertisyan received 5 years; Hayk Harutyunyan, 4 years and 6 months; Alek Poghosyan and Mkrtich Hovhannisyan – 4 years; Armen Hovhannisyan – 2 years; Tigran Petrsoyan and Sevak Mnatsakanyan – 18 months.

The parties argue that the verdicts are a manifestation of the government’s intolerance of the right of freedom of speech and expression of political views.

They also claim that the verdicts are politically motivated and are overly extreme.