Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ANC Youth Committee Urges OSCE To Release "Observation Of Trials In

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

  • ANC Youth Committee Urges OSCE To Release "Observation Of Trials In

    ANC YOUTH COMMITTEE URGES OSCE TO RELEASE "OBSERVATION OF TRIALS IN ARMENIA" REPORT

    http://hetq.am/en/politics/eahk-zhmig-zeku yts/
    2010/02/12
    politics

    The Youth Committee of the Armenian National Congress and the Political
    Prisoners Committee have addressed the following letter to Ambassador
    Yanez Lenarcic, Director of OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions
    and Human Rights.

    As you are well aware the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
    Europe (PACE) took important steps aimed at overcoming the political
    crisis in Armenia, which occurred as a result of a crackdown on
    peaceful demonstrators by governmental forces on 1 March 2008. The
    PACE adopted four resolutions on democracy in Armenia and currently
    also encourages democratic reforms in the country. Unfortunately, the
    OSCE/ODIHR's role in helping Armenia to overcome the deep political
    crisis was not as sound as it could have been according to the
    mandate of the organization, which is aimed at championing democratic
    development, human rights, tolerance, rule of law. In effect, the
    OSCE/ODIHR's followed the retreat of democracy in one of the OSCE
    member countries and the imprisonment of dozens of political prisoners,
    as an observer. We also regret the fact that during Your Excellency's
    visit to Armenia, you were the only high-level international official,
    who did not meet with the representatives of the opposition.

    The only visible involvement of the OCSE/ODIHR in the crisis-stricken
    Armenia was the observation of trials of March 1 related cases by
    the representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission. As in any
    similar process, the mentioned observation was due to result in a
    comprehensive report. At the end of last year, it became known that
    the report "Observation of trials in Armenia" has been prepared and the
    draft has been presented to the government of Armenia, as represented
    by the Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielyan on 21 November 2009. Later,
    the press reported that OSCE/ODIHR plans to publicize the report in
    the second half of January 2010.

    And recently, the press reported again that the government of Armenia
    has asked OSCE/ODIHR not to publicize the report for the time being.

    According to information from the press, Armenian authorities have
    offered a deal to OSCE/ODIHR so that the latter will not publicize
    the report. The fact that the document has not been publicized until
    today directly confirms the truthfulness of the information published
    in the press. However, regardless of the conditions of any deal
    and the motivations of the parties to the deal, the Armenian public
    has the right to demand that the organization mandated to reinforce
    democracy and human rights in free Europe, where Armenia is a member,
    to eventually publish the report.

    The publishing of the report is important for us in the sense that
    it is yet another material which will allow the Armenian public to
    become informed about the nature of shortcomings in Armenia's judiciary
    system and to play its important and natural role, which is to demand
    from and work with the authorities to eliminate those shortcomings.

    Let us eradicate the distrust toward the OSCE/ODIHR, which was formed
    in the Armenian public after the presidential elections of 19 February
    2008, when the preliminary report was published the day after the
    voting, according to which the elections were basically in line
    with European standards, which, however, had nothing to do with the
    reality. In the final report issued by the OSCE/ODIHR three months
    later, violations only in the pre-electoral period were described on
    more than 20 pages. How come that knowing so well about the volume of
    violations, the observation mission harshly gave a positive assessment
    of the elections?

    According to the judgment of numerous experts expressed in the last
    two years, one of the main causes of the tragic events of March 1 was
    the preliminary report published by the election observation mission,
    where OSCE/ODIHR also participated, which allowed the Armenian
    authorities to attempt brutally quelling citizens who were justly
    protesting against the falsified elections.

    Becoming acquainted with the content of the "Observation of trials in
    Armenia" report prepared by OSCE/ODIHR, will also provide us with the
    opportunity to restore our confidence that Your Excellency is faithful
    to the principles of OSCE Charter of Paris. And the Charter states:
    "Ours is a time for fulfilling the hopes and expectations our peoples
    have cherished for decades: steadfast commitment to democracy based
    on human rights and fundamental freedoms; prosperity through economic
    liberty and social justice; and equal security for all our countries."

    We would like to ask you to do everything possible within the limits of
    Your Excellency's mandate to make the report available to the public.

    Sincerely,

    Political Prisoners Committee

    Youth Committee of the Armenian National Congress

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X