Tweet
MR. HAMMARBERG, YOUR WORK IS NOT PRODUCTIVE
A1+
[08:40 pm] 20 November, 2008
The five attorneys of the "Case of the Seven" separate from the
"March 1" case met today with EU Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas
Hammarberg. The meeting did not really please the attorneys, at least
not attorney Hovik Arsenyan.
"We told him that the cases are phony, unsubstantiated; there is no
evidence in the case, no proof for persecution, but Mr. Hammarberg
gave us one question: What do you think will happen in court? That
question was repulsive. If there is no evidence, what's the point of
a trial? Thus, I don't think that the meeting with Hammarberg helped
and that is a tragedy. As an RA citizen, Hammarberg's questions made
me hopeless," told "A1+" attorney Hovik Arsenyan.
Let us recall that Alexander Arzumanyan, Hakob Hakobyan, Myasnik
Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, Grigor Voskerchyan, Shant Harutyunyan and
Suren Sirunyan are charged for participating in the state appropriation
and mass disorder.
The attorney presented Hammarberg the core of the verdicts reached
for the political prisoners, including member of the "Republic"
political party Smbat Ayvazyan.
"I also made it clear to Hammarberg that before his visit in July
and afterwards, some prisoners were conditionally released, but this
time it was the opposite. I was straightforward with Hammarberg and
told him 'Mr. Hammarberg, your work is unproductive, especially in
the fulfillment of the PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620. The PACE says
one thing and doesn't pay attention when something else is done."
Mr. Arsenyan informed "A1+" that as the representatives of other
international organizations, Hammarberg also doesn't use the word
political prisoner. Mr. Arsenyan believes that the political prisoners
made a right decision today by rejecting Hammarberg's proposal to meet.
"That rejection has nothing to do with Hammarberg personally. The
political prisoners express their protest and complaint regarding
the ineffectiveness of the PACE."
Hovik Arsenyan is of the opinion that today the RA administration shows
a lack of discretion by overlooking the requirements of resolutions
1609 and 1620.
"It doesn't matter who comes to knock some sense into us. We must
able to get through this on our own."
Regardless of the visits of Hammarberg and representatives of
international organizations to Armenia, Arsenyan said: "I want our
authorities to be tolerant towards our citizens and themselves and
show a state approach to any issue."
In any case, Arsenyan believes that it is necessary to work with
international organizations and that there will be results sooner
or later.
EU Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg is having a meeting
with RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan as we speak.
A1+
[08:40 pm] 20 November, 2008
The five attorneys of the "Case of the Seven" separate from the
"March 1" case met today with EU Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas
Hammarberg. The meeting did not really please the attorneys, at least
not attorney Hovik Arsenyan.
"We told him that the cases are phony, unsubstantiated; there is no
evidence in the case, no proof for persecution, but Mr. Hammarberg
gave us one question: What do you think will happen in court? That
question was repulsive. If there is no evidence, what's the point of
a trial? Thus, I don't think that the meeting with Hammarberg helped
and that is a tragedy. As an RA citizen, Hammarberg's questions made
me hopeless," told "A1+" attorney Hovik Arsenyan.
Let us recall that Alexander Arzumanyan, Hakob Hakobyan, Myasnik
Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, Grigor Voskerchyan, Shant Harutyunyan and
Suren Sirunyan are charged for participating in the state appropriation
and mass disorder.
The attorney presented Hammarberg the core of the verdicts reached
for the political prisoners, including member of the "Republic"
political party Smbat Ayvazyan.
"I also made it clear to Hammarberg that before his visit in July
and afterwards, some prisoners were conditionally released, but this
time it was the opposite. I was straightforward with Hammarberg and
told him 'Mr. Hammarberg, your work is unproductive, especially in
the fulfillment of the PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620. The PACE says
one thing and doesn't pay attention when something else is done."
Mr. Arsenyan informed "A1+" that as the representatives of other
international organizations, Hammarberg also doesn't use the word
political prisoner. Mr. Arsenyan believes that the political prisoners
made a right decision today by rejecting Hammarberg's proposal to meet.
"That rejection has nothing to do with Hammarberg personally. The
political prisoners express their protest and complaint regarding
the ineffectiveness of the PACE."
Hovik Arsenyan is of the opinion that today the RA administration shows
a lack of discretion by overlooking the requirements of resolutions
1609 and 1620.
"It doesn't matter who comes to knock some sense into us. We must
able to get through this on our own."
Regardless of the visits of Hammarberg and representatives of
international organizations to Armenia, Arsenyan said: "I want our
authorities to be tolerant towards our citizens and themselves and
show a state approach to any issue."
In any case, Arsenyan believes that it is necessary to work with
international organizations and that there will be results sooner
or later.
EU Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg is having a meeting
with RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan as we speak.