Avetik Sahakyan


Avetik Hovhannesi Sahakian, also known as Father Abraham, was an Armenian politician, the Parliamentary President of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918–19, the social security minister and member of ARF Dashnaktsutiun Eastern Bureau. He was also known as agricultural scientist.

Biography

Sahakian was born in Jalaloghly, Tiflis Governorate. He was included in Western Armenian liberation activities and ARF Caucasian project. He married Varvara Sahakyan, who became one of the first three women elected to parliament in Armenia in 1919. He became Chairman of Parliament in 1918.
Following the Bolshevik takeover of Armenia in 1920, Sahakyan was imprisoned. Following his release, the couple and their children fled on foot to Tabriz in Persia, before settling in Iraq. However, the climate affected Varvara's health, and the family relocated to Beirut. He died in 1933.

Books