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The Times of Malta, Malta
April 14 2006
Deported Armenian journalist flies home via Malta
TV reporter Gina Khachatryan was expected to board the flight from
Malta to Moscow early this morning en route to Yerevan, the Armenian
capital, unaware of her fate.
The Armenian journalist, who fled to the UK after allegedly
witnessing and exposing electoral fraud was deported yesterday, amid
a media frenzy calling for her protection.
Ms Khachatryan, who has been living with her family in Bury for three
years, claims her life will be in danger if sent back after blowing
the whistle on ballot-rigging.
Together with her husband and five-year-old daughter, Ms Khachatryan
was thrown out of the UK after their asylum appeal was rejected.
She says she will have to go into hiding on her return having
previously received death threats.
The Khachatryans arrived in Malta on board an Air Malta flight in the
afternoon but her nine-hour stay in Malta was kept under wraps.
Efforts to reach her were in vain.
Both the Home Affairs Ministry and the Refugee Commissioner told The
Times they could not do anything unless Ms Khachatryan applied for
asylum here.
In the meantime, the Journalists' Committee called on the Maltese
government to seek the reassurances of the British government that Ms
Khachatryan will be free from any form of persecution and
intimidation by the Armenian authorities, and that the reason for the
removal of her asylum status is in full conformity with fundamental
human rights.
The committee also called on the government to seek the reassurance
of the British government that Ms Khachatryan has been granted the
right to contest her deportation, including access to the European
Court of Human Rights, as is the right of every refugee.
The Institute of Maltese Journalists yesterday called on the Justice
and Home Affairs Ministry to intervene in Ms Khachatryan's case.
The institute also called on the British authorities to reverse their
decision not to extend Ms Khachatryan's stay in the UK.
Neil Falzon, head of the UN Human Rights office in Malta, was in
touch with his foreign counterparts to try and find ways and means of
assisting her.
Though technically she has every right to apply for asylum, the EU's
Dublin Convention means Malta need not reopen her case - especially
since her calls for refugee status were turned down in the UK. Her
only resort is to apply to the European Court of Human Rights, which
may call for the postponement of her deportation.
Sue Arnall, of the UK-based Castaways organisation, told The Times
the Armenian journalist was unable to fax her information to her
lawyer. This, Ms Arnall added, was crucial because the journalist did
in fact want to take the case to the Court of Human Rights.
Ms Arnall said Ms Khachatryan was very distressed before leaving the
UK.
"Gina was a very political journalist and because of her very high
profile she believes she will be imprisoned for escaping from
detention four years ago. She's especially concerned about her young
daughter," Ms Arnall said. The 30-year-old journalist worked for the
public TV station Armenia 1, but had also supported the campaign of a
political candidate in local elections four years ago. While an
observer at a polling station, she and others spotted ballot boxes
being interfered with and alerted the police, according to British
media reports.
After purportedly being released from jail after 40 days in September
2003, she was warned by a lawyer that she faced charges likely to
lead to a lengthy prison term. Following a period in hiding, she fled
with her husband and daughter to the UK and asked for asylum. It was
reported that the Khachatryans actually spent a week or so in Malta
in 2003 before leaving for the UK.
British Home Office officials said the assessment by immigration
services and subsequent appeal hearings had deemed that the family
did not face sufficient risk. The family were moved from their home
in the early hours last Monday and taken to a detention centre in
Bedfordshire. Immigration officials would not allow The Times to
speak to Ms Khachatryan at Heathrow airport, yesterday morning.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article .php?id=258171
April 14 2006
Deported Armenian journalist flies home via Malta
TV reporter Gina Khachatryan was expected to board the flight from
Malta to Moscow early this morning en route to Yerevan, the Armenian
capital, unaware of her fate.
The Armenian journalist, who fled to the UK after allegedly
witnessing and exposing electoral fraud was deported yesterday, amid
a media frenzy calling for her protection.
Ms Khachatryan, who has been living with her family in Bury for three
years, claims her life will be in danger if sent back after blowing
the whistle on ballot-rigging.
Together with her husband and five-year-old daughter, Ms Khachatryan
was thrown out of the UK after their asylum appeal was rejected.
She says she will have to go into hiding on her return having
previously received death threats.
The Khachatryans arrived in Malta on board an Air Malta flight in the
afternoon but her nine-hour stay in Malta was kept under wraps.
Efforts to reach her were in vain.
Both the Home Affairs Ministry and the Refugee Commissioner told The
Times they could not do anything unless Ms Khachatryan applied for
asylum here.
In the meantime, the Journalists' Committee called on the Maltese
government to seek the reassurances of the British government that Ms
Khachatryan will be free from any form of persecution and
intimidation by the Armenian authorities, and that the reason for the
removal of her asylum status is in full conformity with fundamental
human rights.
The committee also called on the government to seek the reassurance
of the British government that Ms Khachatryan has been granted the
right to contest her deportation, including access to the European
Court of Human Rights, as is the right of every refugee.
The Institute of Maltese Journalists yesterday called on the Justice
and Home Affairs Ministry to intervene in Ms Khachatryan's case.
The institute also called on the British authorities to reverse their
decision not to extend Ms Khachatryan's stay in the UK.
Neil Falzon, head of the UN Human Rights office in Malta, was in
touch with his foreign counterparts to try and find ways and means of
assisting her.
Though technically she has every right to apply for asylum, the EU's
Dublin Convention means Malta need not reopen her case - especially
since her calls for refugee status were turned down in the UK. Her
only resort is to apply to the European Court of Human Rights, which
may call for the postponement of her deportation.
Sue Arnall, of the UK-based Castaways organisation, told The Times
the Armenian journalist was unable to fax her information to her
lawyer. This, Ms Arnall added, was crucial because the journalist did
in fact want to take the case to the Court of Human Rights.
Ms Arnall said Ms Khachatryan was very distressed before leaving the
UK.
"Gina was a very political journalist and because of her very high
profile she believes she will be imprisoned for escaping from
detention four years ago. She's especially concerned about her young
daughter," Ms Arnall said. The 30-year-old journalist worked for the
public TV station Armenia 1, but had also supported the campaign of a
political candidate in local elections four years ago. While an
observer at a polling station, she and others spotted ballot boxes
being interfered with and alerted the police, according to British
media reports.
After purportedly being released from jail after 40 days in September
2003, she was warned by a lawyer that she faced charges likely to
lead to a lengthy prison term. Following a period in hiding, she fled
with her husband and daughter to the UK and asked for asylum. It was
reported that the Khachatryans actually spent a week or so in Malta
in 2003 before leaving for the UK.
British Home Office officials said the assessment by immigration
services and subsequent appeal hearings had deemed that the family
did not face sufficient risk. The family were moved from their home
in the early hours last Monday and taken to a detention centre in
Bedfordshire. Immigration officials would not allow The Times to
speak to Ms Khachatryan at Heathrow airport, yesterday morning.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article .php?id=258171