Armenia: Appeals court overturns Sasna Tsrer verdicts

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Criminal Court of Appeal overturned the verdict of Armen Bilyan, who was earlier acquitted of murder during an episode involving members of an armed group storming a police station in Yerevan in summer 2016. On Friday, December 10, Bilyan was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was remanded in custody.

In February, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction handed a prison term of 4 years and 11 months to Bilyan, who, however, was released on his own recognizance.

The court also handed a jail term of 7 years to Pavel Manukyan, 7 years and 4 months to Vatuzhan Avetisyan, 7 years and 6 months to Mkhitar Avetisyan, 6 years and 6 months to Eduard Grigoryan, 7 years and 5 months to Gagik Yeghiazaryan, 7 years and 1 month to Areg Kyureghyan, 8 years and 2 months to Sedrak Nazaryan, and 25 years to Smbat Barseghyan, who was accused of killing a police officer.

The group known as Sasna Tsrer (named after the Armenian epic "Daredevils of Sassoun") stormed a police patrol department in summer of 2016 and took everyone inside hostage.

Throughout the following days, the group released the captives one by one. After negotiations that lasted a little over two weeks, the gunmen agreed to surrender to law enforcement officers. Three police officers were killed throughout the crisis.