Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

European Official Notes Slow Progress Of Probe Into Armenian Post-El

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • European Official Notes Slow Progress Of Probe Into Armenian Post-El

    EUROPEAN OFFICIAL NOTES SLOW PROGRESS OF PROBE INTO ARMENIAN POST-ELECTION UNREST

    Aravot
    July 16 2008
    Armenia

    The investigation of the March post-election unrest in the Armenian
    capital is "too slow", Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner
    Thomas Hammarberg said at a news conference in Yerevan on 15 July.

    "Unfortunately, policemen have not become at this stage an object of
    the investigation" of the death of 10 people in the 1 March clashes
    between opposition protesters and police in Yerevan, Aravot daily
    quoted Hammarberg as saying.

    Hammarberg also criticized the Armenian government for the failure
    to fully comply with Resolution 1620 of the Parliamentary Assembly
    of the Council of Europe that urged democratic reforms.

    Hammarberg said he was concerned over long-term arrests of opposition
    members following the March disturbances, Aravot said. "I have voiced
    concern over the fact that some of the political activists have been
    in detention for four-and-a-half months already, the terms of their
    detention have been prolonged and their cases have not yet gone
    to court," Aravot quoted Hammarberg as saying. "I suggested to the
    government - let them quickly send all their cases to court if they
    have evidence, otherwise let them release them."

    Hammarberg said that according to the PACE resolution adopted in
    June, "no verdict should be issued based on testimonies of policemen
    alone". However, this provision of the resolution is not being complied
    with, he said.

    Hammarberg said that the participation of foreign experts in the work
    of the Armenian parliamentary commission for the investigation of
    the 1 March events was still under discussion. "I will not be able to
    ensure experts from abroad if I myself am not sure that the procedure
    is reliable, independent and impartial," Aravot quoted him as saying.

    The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe issued a resolution
    urging democratic reforms in Armenia following the post-election
    unrest in Yerevan on 1-2 March. The PACE extended the term of the
    implementation of the reforms till January 2009 adopting a follow-up
    resolution at its June session.
    From: Baghdasarian
Working...
X