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SOUTH CAUCASUS NETWORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST POLITICAL PRISONERS IN ARMENIA
Tert.am
17:56 ~U 01.02.10
A press release issued by the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights
Defenders on the recent indictment of Haykakan Zhamanak ("Armenian
Times") chief editor Nikol Pashinyan reads as follows:
"On January 19, the Court of First Instance of Kentron and Nork Marash
districts of Yerevan, presided by Judge M. Martirosyan passed sentence
on Nikol Pashinyan and convicted him to 7 years of imprisonment.
"After the February 19, 2008 presidential elections, Pashinyan was
among those who participated in the non-violent demonstrations and
rallies held by the opposition, which demanded the authorities to
abolish the results of falsified elections. On March 1, 2008, an
opposition protest was suppressed as a result of provost operations
and with the assistance of band-formations using firearms and special
means. According to official information, 10 people died as a result
of clashes between protestors and police, dozens of people received
wounds of various degrees of seriousness, and hundreds were arrested.
"Later, more than 100 of them were sentenced to different periods
of imprisonment, and many of them were released only after granting
amnesty under pressure from the international community. Dozens of
people were wanted by the police, Pashinyan among them.
"On July 1, 2009, after being in hiding for 16 months, Pashinyan
turned himself in to the authorities. He was charged with Part 1 of
Article 225 and Part 1 of Article 316 of the Criminal Code of Armenia.
His preventive punishment was chosen as detention.
"Helsinki Association held monitoring of all trial sessions. Based
on our observations, we consider that serious violations took place
at trials. In particular: ~U Equality of parties was not observed ~U
Arguments of the prosecution side were not supported by proof ~U Lack
of corpus delicti
"The Court ignored the resolutions of PACE, accordingly no one shall
be punished for any act of violence unless he/she committed violence
and prompted other to violence. The resolutions of PACE also call
upon the Armenian authorities to release those persons who yielded
themselves to authorities being wanted or underground.
"Articles 2, 6, 7, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 29 of the Constitution of
Armenia, Articles 8, 17, 23, 65, 90, 105, 106, 107, 124, 126, 127, 340
of the Criminal Procedural Code of Armenia and Articles 6, 10, 11 of
the European Convention on Human Rights were violated toward Pashinyan.
"Based on the above-mentioned, we, the representatives of the South
Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders consider that N. Pashinyan
was convicted just for his political convictions like other supporters
of the opposition. The members of the Network consider it impermissible
that the Armenian authorities continue their harsh treatment against
their political opponents.
"The South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders demands the
Armenian authorities to meet their obligations in the field of human
rights and fundamental freedoms undeviatingly, to release all political
prisoners, to punish those who are guilty both who issued the order
and who executed it during the carnage of March 1, 2008.
"The South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders makes a
request to the international community to carry out the monitoring of
obligations assumed by the Armenian authorities and to exert pressure
to them with a demand to stop the harsh treatment toward the citizens
who struggle for democratic reforms."
Tert.am
17:56 ~U 01.02.10
A press release issued by the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights
Defenders on the recent indictment of Haykakan Zhamanak ("Armenian
Times") chief editor Nikol Pashinyan reads as follows:
"On January 19, the Court of First Instance of Kentron and Nork Marash
districts of Yerevan, presided by Judge M. Martirosyan passed sentence
on Nikol Pashinyan and convicted him to 7 years of imprisonment.
"After the February 19, 2008 presidential elections, Pashinyan was
among those who participated in the non-violent demonstrations and
rallies held by the opposition, which demanded the authorities to
abolish the results of falsified elections. On March 1, 2008, an
opposition protest was suppressed as a result of provost operations
and with the assistance of band-formations using firearms and special
means. According to official information, 10 people died as a result
of clashes between protestors and police, dozens of people received
wounds of various degrees of seriousness, and hundreds were arrested.
"Later, more than 100 of them were sentenced to different periods
of imprisonment, and many of them were released only after granting
amnesty under pressure from the international community. Dozens of
people were wanted by the police, Pashinyan among them.
"On July 1, 2009, after being in hiding for 16 months, Pashinyan
turned himself in to the authorities. He was charged with Part 1 of
Article 225 and Part 1 of Article 316 of the Criminal Code of Armenia.
His preventive punishment was chosen as detention.
"Helsinki Association held monitoring of all trial sessions. Based
on our observations, we consider that serious violations took place
at trials. In particular: ~U Equality of parties was not observed ~U
Arguments of the prosecution side were not supported by proof ~U Lack
of corpus delicti
"The Court ignored the resolutions of PACE, accordingly no one shall
be punished for any act of violence unless he/she committed violence
and prompted other to violence. The resolutions of PACE also call
upon the Armenian authorities to release those persons who yielded
themselves to authorities being wanted or underground.
"Articles 2, 6, 7, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 29 of the Constitution of
Armenia, Articles 8, 17, 23, 65, 90, 105, 106, 107, 124, 126, 127, 340
of the Criminal Procedural Code of Armenia and Articles 6, 10, 11 of
the European Convention on Human Rights were violated toward Pashinyan.
"Based on the above-mentioned, we, the representatives of the South
Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders consider that N. Pashinyan
was convicted just for his political convictions like other supporters
of the opposition. The members of the Network consider it impermissible
that the Armenian authorities continue their harsh treatment against
their political opponents.
"The South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders demands the
Armenian authorities to meet their obligations in the field of human
rights and fundamental freedoms undeviatingly, to release all political
prisoners, to punish those who are guilty both who issued the order
and who executed it during the carnage of March 1, 2008.
"The South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders makes a
request to the international community to carry out the monitoring of
obligations assumed by the Armenian authorities and to exert pressure
to them with a demand to stop the harsh treatment toward the citizens
who struggle for democratic reforms."