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DO NOT PROVIDE ARMENIAN JUDGES WITH US ENTRY VISA, SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
epress.am
03.20.2012
The Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights has appealed
to US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern in writing, requesting
that several Armenian judges not be granted entry visas to the
United States. Helsinki Association president Mikael Danielyan and
attorney Gayane Khachatryan informed Epress.am that these judges and
prosecutors have permitted numerous gross procedural violations in
several criminal cases in recent years, the victims of which to whom
the Association was providing legal assistance.
In the letter to Ambassador Heffern, the Helsinki Association notes
that the courts and state prosecutors are not objective and through
their indifference and inaction, ignore the many complaints of clearly
trumped-up charges that allow for longer prison sentences.
"This proves that reform of Armenia's judicial system is [merely]
a formality. Republic of Armenia judges, though from time to time
undergo training in such juridical countries as the United States,
continue to fulfill the orders of the prosecution and operate according
to the unwritten rule 'the prosecution always knows best' and are
not guided by the principles of the RA Constitution, criminal law and
procedure," said Khachatryan, presenting an extract from the letter,
copies of which were sent to RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan
and the RA Council of Justice.
According to Danielyan, considering the fact that the US government
has large investments in the reforms carried out in Armenia's judicial
system, a question arises: Do these funds serve their purpose?
"The Helsinki Association has repeatedly raised the need for
various sanctions against the Armenian authorities. That is why, as
a precautionary measure, we are suggesting that the following judges
be refused an entry visa to the US, who directly through their actions
damage and hinder the implementation of democratic reforms in Armenia,"
reads the letter, which lists the names of the following judges:
Mesrop Makyan, Court of General Jurisdiction of Kotayk Region; Suren
Kostanyan, Court of General Jurisdiction of Shengavit Administrative
District of Yerevan; Artur Lazarian, Court of General Jurisdiction
of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Administrative Districts of Yerevan;
and Criminal Court of Appeal judges Grisha Melik-Sargsyan, Henrik
Adamyan, Gagik Avetisyan, Eva Darbinyan and Sergei Chichoyan.
From: Baghdasarian
epress.am
03.20.2012
The Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights has appealed
to US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern in writing, requesting
that several Armenian judges not be granted entry visas to the
United States. Helsinki Association president Mikael Danielyan and
attorney Gayane Khachatryan informed Epress.am that these judges and
prosecutors have permitted numerous gross procedural violations in
several criminal cases in recent years, the victims of which to whom
the Association was providing legal assistance.
In the letter to Ambassador Heffern, the Helsinki Association notes
that the courts and state prosecutors are not objective and through
their indifference and inaction, ignore the many complaints of clearly
trumped-up charges that allow for longer prison sentences.
"This proves that reform of Armenia's judicial system is [merely]
a formality. Republic of Armenia judges, though from time to time
undergo training in such juridical countries as the United States,
continue to fulfill the orders of the prosecution and operate according
to the unwritten rule 'the prosecution always knows best' and are
not guided by the principles of the RA Constitution, criminal law and
procedure," said Khachatryan, presenting an extract from the letter,
copies of which were sent to RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan
and the RA Council of Justice.
According to Danielyan, considering the fact that the US government
has large investments in the reforms carried out in Armenia's judicial
system, a question arises: Do these funds serve their purpose?
"The Helsinki Association has repeatedly raised the need for
various sanctions against the Armenian authorities. That is why, as
a precautionary measure, we are suggesting that the following judges
be refused an entry visa to the US, who directly through their actions
damage and hinder the implementation of democratic reforms in Armenia,"
reads the letter, which lists the names of the following judges:
Mesrop Makyan, Court of General Jurisdiction of Kotayk Region; Suren
Kostanyan, Court of General Jurisdiction of Shengavit Administrative
District of Yerevan; Artur Lazarian, Court of General Jurisdiction
of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Administrative Districts of Yerevan;
and Criminal Court of Appeal judges Grisha Melik-Sargsyan, Henrik
Adamyan, Gagik Avetisyan, Eva Darbinyan and Sergei Chichoyan.
From: Baghdasarian