Zhirayr Sefilyan: career and biography

Zhirayr Sefilyan, whose biography is described in this article, is an Armenian military man. He is an ex-commander of the Shusha battalion of special purpose. A well-known politician, lieutenant colonel, holder of the Order "Combat Cross of the First Degree". Participant of the Karabakh war. One of the leaders of the party "Constituent Parliament".

Childhood

Zhirayr Sefilyan was born on 10.07.1967, in Lebanon, in Beirut. In addition to him, the family had three more children - two boys and a girl. Jiraira's father died when he was 11 years old. The head of the family did not live to see Armenia's independence. When civil war broke out in Lebanon, Jirairo was only 8 years old. Their house was in close proximity to the trenches. In 1990, when Zhirayr left for Armenia, the war was still going on.

Education

The first education he began to receive in the family. Then I went to the Armenian school. Became a member of the party club. Then he studied at the Armenian College "Gevork Chatalbashyan". He graduated in 1986.

Youth

For the first time Zhirayr Sefilyan took up arms at the age of 8. At that time, civil war was going on in Lebanon. Active firefight started at 5-6 in the morning. Zhirayr, along with other children, collected the cartridges, which they then handed over for melting. For the money received for this, the guys bought new ammunition. They referred them to fighters, asking in return for permission to make a couple of independent shots from a rifle.

The first combat pistol Zhirayr bought at the age of 16. Prior to Armenia, he always carried it with him. During the war, people quickly grow up. Not without exception was Sefilyan. Already at the age of 15 he began to think about the continuity of generations, national tasks, etc. From childhood he was brought up in the spirit of justice. During his youth he passed military training "in practice."

Military Activities

In 1990, Zhirayr went to Armenia as a military instructor. Educated volunteer detachments. In 1991, he first began to participate in the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. A year later, led the detachment, which acted on the most important front areas.

Postwar time

After the war, Zhirayr Sefilyan left for two years in Lebanon. When he returned to Armenia, he was appointed to serve in the Defense Army. He held executive positions. He was demobilized with the rank of commander of the Sixth Defensive Area.

Political activity

His political activities Zhirayr Sefilyan, whose photo is in this article, began in Armenia in 2000. He joined the opposition group to the authorities of the country. He was the coordinator of several social movements. In 2006, he was arrested along with his comrade-in-arms. They were accused of calling to change the constitutional order by violent means.

Zhirayr was sentenced to one and a half years for illegal possession of weapons. In 2008, Sefilyan was released and immediately continued his political career in Armenia. In April 2015 Zhirayr, with several leaders of the Constituent Parliament, was again under arrest. The group was accused of preparing for mass riots. Zhirayr and his associates were released from arrest only in May 2015.

Last years

He is one of the leaders of the "Centuries Without Regime" and "Constituent Parliament". Zhirayr Sefilyan, a military leader, continued his political career. Actively opposed the constitutional changes in the Republic of Armenia. In December 2015, a referendum was due. Before him, Zhirayr, along with Raffi Hovannisian, announced the formation of the opposition group "New Armenia".

More than 60 percent of voters voted in a referendum for changing the current constitution. But with their opinion, "New Armenia" did not agree, and in December 2015 a rally was held at Freedom Square.

In June 2015, Sefilian was again arrested. According to the investigation, the politician planned together with his accomplices the armed seizure of the Yerevan television tower and a number of administrative buildings. In the investigation committee, there were reports that Zhirayr was in contact with citizens who were engaged in transportation and storage of arms and ammunition. And they were ready to apply them on the first order.

Trying to free Sefilyan

In July 2016 representatives of the "Constituent Parliament" made an attempt to release Sefilyan. Armed groups of people captured a police building on the outskirts of Yerevan. According to the demands of the raiders, Zhirayr Sefilyan was to be released from arrest.

As a result of the armed seizure of the building, one PPS employee was killed. They were Arthur Vanoyan, a police colonel, who dared to resist the raiders. On July 20, clashes between policemen and opposition demonstrators took place at the captured police building.

As a result, law enforcement authorities arrested 136 people. Many protesters were injured of varying severity and were taken to the nearest city hospitals. Among the victims were also policemen and journalists.

Responsibility for the capture of the police building was officially assumed by the organization "Constituent Parliament". The attackers who held the hostages continued the business of Sefilyan about overthrowing the current government. Zhirayr was not released on the requirements of the invaders.