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MATAGHIS CASE A TEST FOR EVERY ONE OF US
Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/28443
12:06 18/12/2012
Interview with singer Karen Hakobyan, member of Army in Reality
initiative group, Chairman of Hope NGO
Karen, in 2006, thanks to you the indictment of Razmik Sargsyan,
Musa Serobyan and Arayik Zalyan doubted for the murder of their fellow
conscript was voided. Now they are again accused, and today the court
decision will be announced.
The Mataghis case is a test for everyone. In 2005 I returned to Armenia
and saw on TV that a man was lying on the floor of the courtroom while
the court hearing continued. I found out that Razmik Sargsyan, accused
of murder, went on hunger strike claiming that they had obtained his
testimony through force. But the court refused to listen to him and
just wanted to let him die. Then the judge of the Court of Appeal
Argamanyan said: "Yes, I'm Pinochet". In such cases, the question
is asked bluntly - do you exist as a society or not? How can such
a thing happen in a country which declares itself a modern state,
furthermore, it happens in the courtroom? We managed to have Razmik
taken to hospital, he needed treatment, and then the Minister of
Justice David Harutyunyan stated that the boy was healthy.
Then many understood the real situation in the army, just like people
started talking about impunity of murders committed by government
officials after Poghos Poghosyan's murder in 2001. We have the
approximate figures: since 1994, 1500 conscripts have been killed. If
all these cases were investigated like the Mataghis case, then we
should add another 1000 people to those who were unjustly accused.
The Mataghis case is a daily job for us. We have brought together
sincere, romantic and decisive people and NGOs, and we have achieved
results thanks to their consolidation. There has been no case in
the history of Armenia when a lifer was freed from the courtroom. We
brought incontestable evidence that Razmik could not have been at the
crime scene at that moment. The Court of Cassation voided the verdict
of the Court of First Instance and ordered to review the case. I can't
forget the cries of mothers who lost their sons in the army and their
curses in the address of the ex-military prosecutor Jhangiryan.
Though Gagik Jhangiryan is opposition now, he does not acknowledge
his guilt because the system may betray him. This is collective
responsibility which still carries out punitive functions. Then
Jhangiryan was the head, now Kostanyan is who has not changed the logic
and the strategy. They did not carry out a fair investigation, did not
provide new evidence, and it is not clear on what ground they replaced
life sentence to 7-8 years in prison. We need to do everything to
make sure the guys are freed and the fabricators of the case punished.
The army is the reflection of public relations: corruption, violence,
lack of justice, vulnerability, arbitrariness. Army is a unique
existential zone where people are absolutely defenseless. The army
remains a closed space. The society cannot influence the factors in
the army. Moreover, that violence is based on corruption.
In order to stop violence in the army the parliament should check
the army procurement for the past few years, and they will figure
out amazing figures and corruption. Besides, it is necessity to pay
attention to the education of army officers. After all, what's going
on in the army is an important factor, and violence remains the only
weapon for men to support their opinion. But violence occurs when
the direct perpetrator and their superiors are not punished.
The key problem in the army is human rights. The system will not change
unless the old cases are reviewed, innocent people are acquitted and
those guilty are punished.
Last year, there were 70 non-combat victims, this year they were 35.
Does it change anything? I would like to hear the Supreme Commander
state that there will be no violence in the army and everyone will
be held responsible for their acts.
Today, the Mataghis case verdict will be issued in Gyumri, and if the
guys for whom the parents of the killed Movses are fighting are not
acquitted, it will mean the judicial system in Armenia is still based
on lies and violence and the authorities are unable to change anything.
But now, we - the civil society activists and others - are defending
the Mataghis guys. The Diaspora and other NGOs should join us. The
Human Rights Watch has already made a statement today. We should
fight until zero non-combat victims are reported in the Armenian army.
Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/interview/view/28443
12:06 18/12/2012
Interview with singer Karen Hakobyan, member of Army in Reality
initiative group, Chairman of Hope NGO
Karen, in 2006, thanks to you the indictment of Razmik Sargsyan,
Musa Serobyan and Arayik Zalyan doubted for the murder of their fellow
conscript was voided. Now they are again accused, and today the court
decision will be announced.
The Mataghis case is a test for everyone. In 2005 I returned to Armenia
and saw on TV that a man was lying on the floor of the courtroom while
the court hearing continued. I found out that Razmik Sargsyan, accused
of murder, went on hunger strike claiming that they had obtained his
testimony through force. But the court refused to listen to him and
just wanted to let him die. Then the judge of the Court of Appeal
Argamanyan said: "Yes, I'm Pinochet". In such cases, the question
is asked bluntly - do you exist as a society or not? How can such
a thing happen in a country which declares itself a modern state,
furthermore, it happens in the courtroom? We managed to have Razmik
taken to hospital, he needed treatment, and then the Minister of
Justice David Harutyunyan stated that the boy was healthy.
Then many understood the real situation in the army, just like people
started talking about impunity of murders committed by government
officials after Poghos Poghosyan's murder in 2001. We have the
approximate figures: since 1994, 1500 conscripts have been killed. If
all these cases were investigated like the Mataghis case, then we
should add another 1000 people to those who were unjustly accused.
The Mataghis case is a daily job for us. We have brought together
sincere, romantic and decisive people and NGOs, and we have achieved
results thanks to their consolidation. There has been no case in
the history of Armenia when a lifer was freed from the courtroom. We
brought incontestable evidence that Razmik could not have been at the
crime scene at that moment. The Court of Cassation voided the verdict
of the Court of First Instance and ordered to review the case. I can't
forget the cries of mothers who lost their sons in the army and their
curses in the address of the ex-military prosecutor Jhangiryan.
Though Gagik Jhangiryan is opposition now, he does not acknowledge
his guilt because the system may betray him. This is collective
responsibility which still carries out punitive functions. Then
Jhangiryan was the head, now Kostanyan is who has not changed the logic
and the strategy. They did not carry out a fair investigation, did not
provide new evidence, and it is not clear on what ground they replaced
life sentence to 7-8 years in prison. We need to do everything to
make sure the guys are freed and the fabricators of the case punished.
The army is the reflection of public relations: corruption, violence,
lack of justice, vulnerability, arbitrariness. Army is a unique
existential zone where people are absolutely defenseless. The army
remains a closed space. The society cannot influence the factors in
the army. Moreover, that violence is based on corruption.
In order to stop violence in the army the parliament should check
the army procurement for the past few years, and they will figure
out amazing figures and corruption. Besides, it is necessity to pay
attention to the education of army officers. After all, what's going
on in the army is an important factor, and violence remains the only
weapon for men to support their opinion. But violence occurs when
the direct perpetrator and their superiors are not punished.
The key problem in the army is human rights. The system will not change
unless the old cases are reviewed, innocent people are acquitted and
those guilty are punished.
Last year, there were 70 non-combat victims, this year they were 35.
Does it change anything? I would like to hear the Supreme Commander
state that there will be no violence in the army and everyone will
be held responsible for their acts.
Today, the Mataghis case verdict will be issued in Gyumri, and if the
guys for whom the parents of the killed Movses are fighting are not
acquitted, it will mean the judicial system in Armenia is still based
on lies and violence and the authorities are unable to change anything.
But now, we - the civil society activists and others - are defending
the Mataghis guys. The Diaspora and other NGOs should join us. The
Human Rights Watch has already made a statement today. We should
fight until zero non-combat victims are reported in the Armenian army.