In December 2004, Gagik Mirzoyan, a Baptist Christian, was called to serve in the army of the unrecognized Azerbaijani breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, because of his pacifistic beliefs, he refused to bear arms or take the military oath. As a result, he faced beatings and threats of imprisonment. He was eventually given a suspended sentence in July 2005, but that decision was overturned on appeal and he was sentenced to one year in prison (click here for the story).
According to a September 18 report from Forum 18, Mirzoyan finished serving his sentence on September 5 and was released. However, he still has three months left of his military service and it is uncertain what the military will do if Mirzoyan continues to refuse to take the military oath. Pastor Garnik Abreyan met with Mirzoyan on September 16 and reported that he is free to move around the base and has not been required to wear a military uniform to this point.
Thank God for Mirzoyan's release. Pray that the government will respect his beliefs and leave him in peace.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Azerbaijan, click here.
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