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Matches in DBpedia 2014 for { ?s ?p Vazgen Sargsyan (Armenian: Վազգեն Սարգսյան, Armenian: [vɑzˈɡɛn sɑɾkʰsˈjɑn] ; 5 March 1959 – 27 October 1999) was an Armenian military commander and politician. He was the first Defence Minister of Armenia from 1991 to 1992 and then from 1995 to 1999. He served as Armenia's Prime Minister from 11 June 1999 until his assassination on 27 October of that year. He rose to prominence during the popular movement for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia in the late 1980s and led Armenian volunteer groups during early clashes with Azerbaijani forces. His popularity led to his appointment as Defence Minister by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan soon after Armenia's independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991. He was the most prominent commander of Armenian forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. In different positions, Sargsyan regulated the military operations in the war area until 1994, when a ceasefire was reached ending the war with the de facto unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. In the post-war years, Sargsyan tightened his grip on the Armed Forces, establishing it as the most powerful institution in the economically devastated Armenia. He supported Ter-Petrosyan to retain power by using his influence in the 1996 presidential election and the subsequent suppression of opposition protests. However, in February 1998 he forced Ter-Petrosyan out of office due to his support for concessions in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement negotiations, and helped Robert Kocharyan to be elected president. Their relations gradually deteriorated, and by early 1999 Sargsyan merged Yerkrapah, the influential group of the Nagorno-Karabakh War veterans, into the Republican Party to form a political base in the parliament. He then joined Armenia's former Soviet leader, Karen Demirchyan, forming an alliance prior to the parliamentary election. Their Unity bloc and its sympathizers won a majority in the National Assembly in May 1999. Sargsyan became Prime Minister, emerging as the de facto decision-maker in Armenia with effective control of the military and the legislature.Sargsyan, along with Demirchyan and several others, was assassinated in the Armenian parliament shooting of 27 October 1999. The perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison. However, the distrust toward the trial process gave birth to a number of conspiracy theories. Some experts and politicians argue that their assassination was masterminded by Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Others have suspected the possible involvement of foreign powers in the shooting.Despite his mixed legacy, Sargsyan is now widely recognized as a national hero across the political spectrum and by the public. Given the honorific Sparapet, he made significant contributions to the establishment of Armenia as independent state and ensuring its security as the founder of the Armenian Army. He has also been criticized by Western human rights organizations for being undemocratic, especially for his role in elections. Sargsyan was awarded the highest titles of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh—National Hero of Armenia and Hero of Artsakh.. }

• Vazgen_Sargsyan abstract "Vazgen Sargsyan (Armenian: Վազգեն Սարգսյան, Armenian: [vɑzˈɡɛn sɑɾkʰsˈjɑn] ; 5 March 1959 – 27 October 1999) was an Armenian military commander and politician. He was the first Defence Minister of Armenia from 1991 to 1992 and then from 1995 to 1999. He served as Armenia's Prime Minister from 11 June 1999 until his assassination on 27 October of that year. He rose to prominence during the popular movement for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia in the late 1980s and led Armenian volunteer groups during early clashes with Azerbaijani forces. His popularity led to his appointment as Defence Minister by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan soon after Armenia's independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991. He was the most prominent commander of Armenian forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. In different positions, Sargsyan regulated the military operations in the war area until 1994, when a ceasefire was reached ending the war with the de facto unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. In the post-war years, Sargsyan tightened his grip on the Armed Forces, establishing it as the most powerful institution in the economically devastated Armenia. He supported Ter-Petrosyan to retain power by using his influence in the 1996 presidential election and the subsequent suppression of opposition protests. However, in February 1998 he forced Ter-Petrosyan out of office due to his support for concessions in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement negotiations, and helped Robert Kocharyan to be elected president. Their relations gradually deteriorated, and by early 1999 Sargsyan merged Yerkrapah, the influential group of the Nagorno-Karabakh War veterans, into the Republican Party to form a political base in the parliament. He then joined Armenia's former Soviet leader, Karen Demirchyan, forming an alliance prior to the parliamentary election. Their Unity bloc and its sympathizers won a majority in the National Assembly in May 1999. Sargsyan became Prime Minister, emerging as the de facto decision-maker in Armenia with effective control of the military and the legislature.Sargsyan, along with Demirchyan and several others, was assassinated in the Armenian parliament shooting of 27 October 1999. The perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison. However, the distrust toward the trial process gave birth to a number of conspiracy theories. Some experts and politicians argue that their assassination was masterminded by Kocharyan and National Security Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Others have suspected the possible involvement of foreign powers in the shooting.Despite his mixed legacy, Sargsyan is now widely recognized as a national hero across the political spectrum and by the public. Given the honorific Sparapet, he made significant contributions to the establishment of Armenia as independent state and ensuring its security as the founder of the Armenian Army. He has also been criticized by Western human rights organizations for being undemocratic, especially for his role in elections. Sargsyan was awarded the highest titles of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh—National Hero of Armenia and Hero of Artsakh.".