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ARMENIAN MEDIA, RIGHTS GROUPS DEMAND ARRESTED EDITOR'S RELEASE
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 5 2006
Armenia's leading newspapers, media associations and human rights
groups expressed serious concern on Wednesday about the arrest of
the editor of an independent newspaper critical of the government
and said he must be set free pending trial.
In a joint statement published by their papers, the editors of "Azg,"
"Aravot," "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun," "168 Zham," "Iravunk," "Haykakan
Zhamanak," and "Taregir" said they have reason to believe that the
case against Arman Babajanian of "Zhamanak Yerevan" is politically
motivated.
Babajanian, 30, was detained in his office June 26 and promptly charged
with forging personal documents to avoid compulsory military service
in 2002. Prosecutors investigating the case say he confessed to the
charges before being remanded in a two-month pre-trial custody by a
court in Yerevan.
In a statement issued from his prison cell on Friday, Babajanian
presented himself as a victim of "political persecution" ordered by the
"illegal regime" governing Armenia. However, he did not say whether
he indeed pleaded guilty to the charges or thinks they are unfounded.
Babajanian's colleagues demanded that he at least be released from
pre-trial detention. They said the prosecutors' refusal to do so
suggests that "the main target of this 'show' is not military draft
dodgers but the heads of media not controlled by the authorities."
The leaders of six non-governmental organizations involved in human
rights and press freedom advocacy expressed similar concerns in a
separate statement which described Babajanian's arrest as a form
of government "pressure on an independent media outlet." "We are
urging [the prosecutors] to change the coercive measure, especially
considering the fact that Arman Babajanian has already demonstrated
his readiness to cooperate with the investigating body and has no
intention to obstruct the investigation," they said.
A spokeswoman for the Prosecutor-General's Office argued earlier that
individuals accused of draft in Armenia are usually kept in custody
before trial.
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 5 2006
Armenia's leading newspapers, media associations and human rights
groups expressed serious concern on Wednesday about the arrest of
the editor of an independent newspaper critical of the government
and said he must be set free pending trial.
In a joint statement published by their papers, the editors of "Azg,"
"Aravot," "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun," "168 Zham," "Iravunk," "Haykakan
Zhamanak," and "Taregir" said they have reason to believe that the
case against Arman Babajanian of "Zhamanak Yerevan" is politically
motivated.
Babajanian, 30, was detained in his office June 26 and promptly charged
with forging personal documents to avoid compulsory military service
in 2002. Prosecutors investigating the case say he confessed to the
charges before being remanded in a two-month pre-trial custody by a
court in Yerevan.
In a statement issued from his prison cell on Friday, Babajanian
presented himself as a victim of "political persecution" ordered by the
"illegal regime" governing Armenia. However, he did not say whether
he indeed pleaded guilty to the charges or thinks they are unfounded.
Babajanian's colleagues demanded that he at least be released from
pre-trial detention. They said the prosecutors' refusal to do so
suggests that "the main target of this 'show' is not military draft
dodgers but the heads of media not controlled by the authorities."
The leaders of six non-governmental organizations involved in human
rights and press freedom advocacy expressed similar concerns in a
separate statement which described Babajanian's arrest as a form
of government "pressure on an independent media outlet." "We are
urging [the prosecutors] to change the coercive measure, especially
considering the fact that Arman Babajanian has already demonstrated
his readiness to cooperate with the investigating body and has no
intention to obstruct the investigation," they said.
A spokeswoman for the Prosecutor-General's Office argued earlier that
individuals accused of draft in Armenia are usually kept in custody
before trial.