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ARMENIA: PACE TAKES STEP BACK FROM PUNISHING ARMENIA
Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org
March 31, 2009
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appears to be
easing up on its criticism of the Armenian government, thus diminishing
the possibility that the European body will sanction Yerevan over
alleged rights abuses committed in connection with election-related
political violence in 2008.
The Monitoring Commission of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) recently noted that the Armenian government had made
progress toward complying with PACE recommendations. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive]. PACE officials had hinted that
Armenia might be stripped of its voting rights in the pan-European
forum, if it not take action on the PACE mandates. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive].
David Arutyunian, the governing Republican Party's delegate to PACE,
told the Regnum news agency that the Monitoring Commission welcomed
recent amendments to Armenia's criminal code. At the same time, a PACE
demand that suspected political prisoners in Armenia be released from
custody has not been fulfilled.
The Monitoring Commission held a session on March 30 in Valencia,
Spain. According to Arutyunian, the commission does not plan to
recommend that a full PACE session take action to punish the Armenian
delegation. Raffi Hovannisian, a PACE delegate from opposition
Heritage Party, criticized PACE for softening its stance toward
Armenian government, the A1plus news site reported.
Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org
March 31, 2009
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe appears to be
easing up on its criticism of the Armenian government, thus diminishing
the possibility that the European body will sanction Yerevan over
alleged rights abuses committed in connection with election-related
political violence in 2008.
The Monitoring Commission of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) recently noted that the Armenian government had made
progress toward complying with PACE recommendations. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive]. PACE officials had hinted that
Armenia might be stripped of its voting rights in the pan-European
forum, if it not take action on the PACE mandates. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive].
David Arutyunian, the governing Republican Party's delegate to PACE,
told the Regnum news agency that the Monitoring Commission welcomed
recent amendments to Armenia's criminal code. At the same time, a PACE
demand that suspected political prisoners in Armenia be released from
custody has not been fulfilled.
The Monitoring Commission held a session on March 30 in Valencia,
Spain. According to Arutyunian, the commission does not plan to
recommend that a full PACE session take action to punish the Armenian
delegation. Raffi Hovannisian, a PACE delegate from opposition
Heritage Party, criticized PACE for softening its stance toward
Armenian government, the A1plus news site reported.