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Why Former Speaker Abstained
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country21958.html
Published: 15:16:00 - 26/05/2011
The former speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan commented
on his vote to the amnesty during a parliamentary briefing today. He
had abstained.
Tigran Torosyan noted that he could not vote against the bill because
it concerns people who could not be punished or at least should have
be given other punishment. Hence, it is right to set these people
free.
On the other hand, he could not vote for the bill because he is
against amnesties in general, since amnesty is not a process typical
of a normal and well-established country.
'After all, if people are imprisoned for conviction under definite
provisions, their release is not logical, he noted.
Torosyan added that there are illogical points in the text of the
draft resolution on amnesty. He gave the example of Point 5 which runs
that people sentenced to maximum 10 years who served no less than the
quarter of their term must be released.
'I think the gravity of the crime does not depend only on the Article
and on the fact whether it was due to negligence or not. 10 years is a
long period, which means the reason for such a sentence is serious.
Releasing a person after serving 2.5 years is not right, is
unacceptable,' says Torosyan.
The authorities are trying to present amnesty as a step aimed at
easing political tensions, Tigran Torosyan says.
He says bombastic statements on the amnesty are not relevant. Tigran
Torosyan thinks it is clear that the causes of the problems the
country is facing are different and are not related to the amnesty and
those imprisoned. `If the point is the relations between the
government and the opposition, this step should not be presented as
improvement, dialogue, an act of tolerance. The roots, unfortunately,
are deeper and more serious steps are required to really improve the
situation in the country. I want it very much. But I don't want us the
MPs, the government and especially the society, deceive ourselves that
the amnesty will produce such results,' he said.
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/country21958.html
Published: 15:16:00 - 26/05/2011
The former speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan commented
on his vote to the amnesty during a parliamentary briefing today. He
had abstained.
Tigran Torosyan noted that he could not vote against the bill because
it concerns people who could not be punished or at least should have
be given other punishment. Hence, it is right to set these people
free.
On the other hand, he could not vote for the bill because he is
against amnesties in general, since amnesty is not a process typical
of a normal and well-established country.
'After all, if people are imprisoned for conviction under definite
provisions, their release is not logical, he noted.
Torosyan added that there are illogical points in the text of the
draft resolution on amnesty. He gave the example of Point 5 which runs
that people sentenced to maximum 10 years who served no less than the
quarter of their term must be released.
'I think the gravity of the crime does not depend only on the Article
and on the fact whether it was due to negligence or not. 10 years is a
long period, which means the reason for such a sentence is serious.
Releasing a person after serving 2.5 years is not right, is
unacceptable,' says Torosyan.
The authorities are trying to present amnesty as a step aimed at
easing political tensions, Tigran Torosyan says.
He says bombastic statements on the amnesty are not relevant. Tigran
Torosyan thinks it is clear that the causes of the problems the
country is facing are different and are not related to the amnesty and
those imprisoned. `If the point is the relations between the
government and the opposition, this step should not be presented as
improvement, dialogue, an act of tolerance. The roots, unfortunately,
are deeper and more serious steps are required to really improve the
situation in the country. I want it very much. But I don't want us the
MPs, the government and especially the society, deceive ourselves that
the amnesty will produce such results,' he said.