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ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DEMANDS RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS
Interfax
Dec 25 2008
Russia
The opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) party has demanded
that Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian resign and all political
prisoners be released.
All political prisoners must be freed and court or other proceedings
against them must be cancelled, the party said in a statement on
Thursday.
Last week, the PACE Monitoring Commission passed a draft resolution to
be submitted for a PACE session scheduled for January. The document
says there are strong reasons to assume that charges brought against
a considerable number of people are politically motivated, hence they
can be regarded as political prisoners.
"We demand the resignation of the justice minister who exercises
control over penitentiaries. We also demand that the ombudsman in
Armenia urgently make a report on how political prisoners were beaten
in their cells. Also, we urge the opposition Heritage faction to
convene an emergency parliament session," the statement says.
Earlier, ANC coordinator Levon Zurabian told reporters that prisoners
charged in connection with the March 2008 events in Yerevan had
been beaten.
Grigor, Voskerchian, Geborg Manukian and Armen Khurshudian were beaten
on December 23, he said.
Interfax
Dec 25 2008
Russia
The opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) party has demanded
that Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian resign and all political
prisoners be released.
All political prisoners must be freed and court or other proceedings
against them must be cancelled, the party said in a statement on
Thursday.
Last week, the PACE Monitoring Commission passed a draft resolution to
be submitted for a PACE session scheduled for January. The document
says there are strong reasons to assume that charges brought against
a considerable number of people are politically motivated, hence they
can be regarded as political prisoners.
"We demand the resignation of the justice minister who exercises
control over penitentiaries. We also demand that the ombudsman in
Armenia urgently make a report on how political prisoners were beaten
in their cells. Also, we urge the opposition Heritage faction to
convene an emergency parliament session," the statement says.
Earlier, ANC coordinator Levon Zurabian told reporters that prisoners
charged in connection with the March 2008 events in Yerevan had
been beaten.
Grigor, Voskerchian, Geborg Manukian and Armen Khurshudian were beaten
on December 23, he said.