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STATEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS OF THE RIGHTS MARCH ORGANIZED BY ANC
17:10, December 10, 2012
We have been organizing the Rights march on the international day of
the protection of human rights every year since 10 December, 2008.
These marches have become an opportunity to take stock of what the
Popular Movement has accomplished in its struggle for freedom and the
restoration of constitutional rights, as well as an expression of our
determination to continue the fight.
On this day we report on the state of human rights and democratic
freedoms to our people and to the international community, as well as
map out our future tasks in these areas. Here are then the most
pressing areas of concern:
1. For more than a year and four months, the ruling regime of Armenia
is keeping Tigran Arakelyan, who is an Armenian National Congress
activist, in prison. The authorities released all the political
prisoners in 2011 under pressure from the public and entered
negotiations with the Armenian National Congress on the issue of
forming a legitimate government through fair and free elections. In
order to torpedo these negotiations, the authorities, with help from
the police, organized a provocation against the group of young
activists from the Armenian National Congress on 9 August, 2011.
As a result, Tigran Arakelyan has been sentenced to 6 years in prison,
and if Serge Sargsyan orders the obedient Appeals Court to confirm the
sentences of First Instance and Appellate Courts, three other
activists - Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, and Davit Kiramijyan -
will also be imprisoned for 3, 2, and 2 years respectively. On behalf
of today's march we demand freedom for the youngsters, who are
fighting for the Armenia of their dreams.
2. Having created a machine for vote bribing, voter intimidation, and
multiple voting, the Armenian authorities continue to deny the
Armenian people's right to form a government through elections. The
National Assembly, which was formed after the 6 May elections, does
not reflect the true will of the Armenian people as a result. In the
mean time, the authorities are gearing up for massive vote fraud in
the upcoming presidential elections.
3. Television remains under the control of Serge Sargsyan's regime,
which tramples on the basic right of the Armenian people to free
speech and free access to information.
4. On 1 March, 2008, the authorities drowned the people's anger at
election falsification in blood, violating the most basic of human
rights - the right to life -then failed to uncover that unprecedented
crime and to punish anybody for organizing and carrying out the
killings. The Armenian National Congress is calling on the people to
continue its unbending struggle for its basic rights. Emigration is
not the right answer to oppression and lawlessness. Citizens must take
ownership of their destinies and rid the country of its dictatorial
rulers.
We call on all the political forces that are not controlled by the
authorities to join forces during the upcoming presidential elections
for the sake of our people's freedom and prosperity.
Finally, we call on the international community, particularly the
Council of Europe, its Parliamentary Assembly and the Council's Human
Rights Commissioner not to turn a blind eye on the blatant violations
of human rights and democratic freedoms by the Armenian authorities,
to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Armenia in its struggle
for those rights, as well as to take the necessary measures to make
sure that the Armenian authorities are fulfilling their obligations
and commitments in the area of human rights.
Participants of the Rights March
http://hetq.am/eng/news/21414/statement-of-participants-of-the-rights-march-organized-by-anc.html
17:10, December 10, 2012
We have been organizing the Rights march on the international day of
the protection of human rights every year since 10 December, 2008.
These marches have become an opportunity to take stock of what the
Popular Movement has accomplished in its struggle for freedom and the
restoration of constitutional rights, as well as an expression of our
determination to continue the fight.
On this day we report on the state of human rights and democratic
freedoms to our people and to the international community, as well as
map out our future tasks in these areas. Here are then the most
pressing areas of concern:
1. For more than a year and four months, the ruling regime of Armenia
is keeping Tigran Arakelyan, who is an Armenian National Congress
activist, in prison. The authorities released all the political
prisoners in 2011 under pressure from the public and entered
negotiations with the Armenian National Congress on the issue of
forming a legitimate government through fair and free elections. In
order to torpedo these negotiations, the authorities, with help from
the police, organized a provocation against the group of young
activists from the Armenian National Congress on 9 August, 2011.
As a result, Tigran Arakelyan has been sentenced to 6 years in prison,
and if Serge Sargsyan orders the obedient Appeals Court to confirm the
sentences of First Instance and Appellate Courts, three other
activists - Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, and Davit Kiramijyan -
will also be imprisoned for 3, 2, and 2 years respectively. On behalf
of today's march we demand freedom for the youngsters, who are
fighting for the Armenia of their dreams.
2. Having created a machine for vote bribing, voter intimidation, and
multiple voting, the Armenian authorities continue to deny the
Armenian people's right to form a government through elections. The
National Assembly, which was formed after the 6 May elections, does
not reflect the true will of the Armenian people as a result. In the
mean time, the authorities are gearing up for massive vote fraud in
the upcoming presidential elections.
3. Television remains under the control of Serge Sargsyan's regime,
which tramples on the basic right of the Armenian people to free
speech and free access to information.
4. On 1 March, 2008, the authorities drowned the people's anger at
election falsification in blood, violating the most basic of human
rights - the right to life -then failed to uncover that unprecedented
crime and to punish anybody for organizing and carrying out the
killings. The Armenian National Congress is calling on the people to
continue its unbending struggle for its basic rights. Emigration is
not the right answer to oppression and lawlessness. Citizens must take
ownership of their destinies and rid the country of its dictatorial
rulers.
We call on all the political forces that are not controlled by the
authorities to join forces during the upcoming presidential elections
for the sake of our people's freedom and prosperity.
Finally, we call on the international community, particularly the
Council of Europe, its Parliamentary Assembly and the Council's Human
Rights Commissioner not to turn a blind eye on the blatant violations
of human rights and democratic freedoms by the Armenian authorities,
to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Armenia in its struggle
for those rights, as well as to take the necessary measures to make
sure that the Armenian authorities are fulfilling their obligations
and commitments in the area of human rights.
Participants of the Rights March
http://hetq.am/eng/news/21414/statement-of-participants-of-the-rights-march-organized-by-anc.html