During a May 7th interview, Alvina Zakaryan, the Head of the ROA Police Department’s Passport and Visa Division, commented on the issue regarding granting citizenship to Jirayr Sefilyan, who commanded a special unit that participated in the liberation of Shushi.

Mr. Sefilyan, a Lebanese citizen presently jailed (Sefilyan, Malkhasyan and Aroyan convicted) in Armenia, had presented his application for citizenship through an authorized intermediary. This application was denied. Alvina Zakaryan stated the following regarding the case, “What does it mean that an authorized person has applied for citizenship? The law states that the person in question must personally submit the application and not through an authorized individual.” She added that Jirayr Sefilyan had applied a second time and that this too had been denied. According to A. Zakaryan the reason for refusing citizenship was that Jirayr Sefilyan’s actions here in Armenia “disturb the social order”. The day after the interview Mr. Sefilyan's wife Nanor issued the following "Open Letter".

Open Letter

To: Alvina Zakaryan, Head of the ROA Police Department’s Passport and Visa Division
For the enlightenment of Alvina from “OVIR”
The public facts aren’t subject to argument

The entire Armenian diaspora knows who Jirayr Sefilyan is. Jirayr Sefilyan is that man who only needs to call out once in order for that Armenian, who comprehends his civil debt, to return to Armenia. Shamil Basayev also knows who Jirayr Sefilyan is and once confessed that if he had twenty soldiers like Jirayr he could conquer all of Russia.

As to who is Alvina from “OVIR” and what are the attributes and services she provides that landed her this present position in which she has served the former and current regime, many are in the know.

Touching upon the successive statements made by the Head of the ROA Police Department’s Passport and Visa Division, I’d like to point out once again the rights and qualifications upon which Jirayr Sefilyan Must receive ROA citizenship.

1.    According to the ROA Constitution all persons of Armenian extraction can receive ROA citizenship if they revoke their former citizenship and reside in Armenia for more than five years and own property.
2.    It’s hard to believe that the 188 individuals who have received ROA dual citizenship up till now have more fully served the fatherland and its people than Jirayr Sefilyan or that they are more worthy than him, given that his heroic record is known to all. If Mrs. Zakaryan isn’t aware of this record, that’s her problem.

I would suggest that Alvina from “OVIR” take a look at the Encyclopedia of the Artsakh Movement, published in 2005, to familiarize herself with the personal virtues exemplified by Jirayr Sefilyan.

I can only hope that after familiarizing herself with the encyclopedia and its contents Mrs. Zakaryan is overcome by pangs of compassionate envy and that she will come to the understanding that she must serve the needs of the people. I have another piece of advice for her as well. Before making irresponsible, vociferous and, in this case slanderous statements, that the actions of Jirayr Sefilyan «disturb the social order», the Head of «OVIR» would do well to at least familiarize herself with Jirayr Sefilyan's legal proceedings. She would thus learn that, regardless of the fabricated accusations, he has never «disturbed the public order» and has never posed a threat to the existing government.

Jirayr Sefilyan can only be considered a threat by the national security services of Turkey and Azerbaijan and not to the Republic of Armenia or Artsakh, for whose sake he put his own life on the line. I am truly amazed by the fact that it appears that the interests of Turkey, Azerbaijan and now Armenia have suddenly dovetailed.

I would like to remind «OVIR’s» Alvina and the rest of the officials there that my husband, along with myself and our two sons, have been living in Armenia since 1991 and that we will continue to do so regardless of whether Alvina and her superiors continue to flout their responsibilities and violate the Constitution by manifesting discrimination against the man.

Armenia is our motherland and this time no force can snatch it away from us.

Nanor Sefilyan
Yerevan, May 8, 2008