Kevork Chavush - Sasun Resistance

Sasun Resistance

In 1894, he participated in the Sasun Resistance against the Hamidian persecution of Armenians. During the battle, Chavush was captured and sentenced to jail for 15 years. He managed to escape from jail 2 years later and fled to the mountains of Sasun, where he joined the Dashnaktsutyun political party with friends and pursued revolutionary movement against Turkish officials. In 1896, he met General Zoravar Andranik Ozanyan and participated in various battles, most notable the Second Sasun Resistance in 1904. During his career as a freedom fighter, he was also placed under the command of Serob Aghpyur. During this time, Kevork Chavush's uncle ran into trouble with the guerrillas when he nabbed a woman from a different Armenian village. The case was brought upon Serob Aghbyur who subsequently turned to Chavush and said "Kevork, your uncle is the guilty one, you decide upon his fate" (Armenian: «Գէորգ քու հօրեղբայրդ է յանցաւորը, դո՜ւն դատէ ու վճռէ:»). Chavush executed his kidnapping uncle but suffered from a severe depression afterwards and isolated himself in order to grieve the loss of his uncle.