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Armenian human rights activist speaks of life-termers' problems
14:50 - 22.05.13
Avetik Ishkhanyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia,
believes that the government is treating life-term prisoners in an in
human way.
`I am appealing to the authorities once again. Life-termers are our
citizens and they must not be treated like this,' Ishkhanyan said at a
debate on the revision of standards of punishments and pardon for
life-term prisoners on Wednesday.
Life-termers' conditions are relatively good, but it is thanks to
their relatives, he said.
He addressed a new draft on the agenda of the Standing Committee on
State and Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia.
According to the draft, people aged 18 to 21 must not get life
sentences. The committee decided to resume the discussion next year.
Ishkhanyan believes this is a political problem.
`The draft seemed to be unanimously approved of, but one of the
reasons for postponement was that it was submitted by the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) parliamentary group. I think it was a political
issue. But they should have considered the fact that even one day is
of importance for those people,' Ishkhanyan said.
Armenia's former military prosecutor Gagik Jhangiryan objected to the
draft. He argued that the approval of the draft will cause an increase
in army crimes.
In response, Ishkhanyan said: `There is no room for a person like
Jhangiryan in a democratic country. The most army murders were
committed when he was in office,' he said. Ishkhanyan reminded the
participants that 15 servicemen are serving their life sentences in
Armenia now.
As regards pardon and amnesty for life-term prisoners, Ishkhanyan
noted that even the British judicial system, which is considered the
best in the world, admits its errors.
`Verdicts of acquittal do not even constitute one percent in Armenia,
to say nothing of independent courts,' he said.
Ishkhanyan also pointed out the need for a mechanism of reforming
penitentiary treatment.
Armenian News - Tert.am
14:50 - 22.05.13
Avetik Ishkhanyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia,
believes that the government is treating life-term prisoners in an in
human way.
`I am appealing to the authorities once again. Life-termers are our
citizens and they must not be treated like this,' Ishkhanyan said at a
debate on the revision of standards of punishments and pardon for
life-term prisoners on Wednesday.
Life-termers' conditions are relatively good, but it is thanks to
their relatives, he said.
He addressed a new draft on the agenda of the Standing Committee on
State and Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia.
According to the draft, people aged 18 to 21 must not get life
sentences. The committee decided to resume the discussion next year.
Ishkhanyan believes this is a political problem.
`The draft seemed to be unanimously approved of, but one of the
reasons for postponement was that it was submitted by the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) parliamentary group. I think it was a political
issue. But they should have considered the fact that even one day is
of importance for those people,' Ishkhanyan said.
Armenia's former military prosecutor Gagik Jhangiryan objected to the
draft. He argued that the approval of the draft will cause an increase
in army crimes.
In response, Ishkhanyan said: `There is no room for a person like
Jhangiryan in a democratic country. The most army murders were
committed when he was in office,' he said. Ishkhanyan reminded the
participants that 15 servicemen are serving their life sentences in
Armenia now.
As regards pardon and amnesty for life-term prisoners, Ishkhanyan
noted that even the British judicial system, which is considered the
best in the world, admits its errors.
`Verdicts of acquittal do not even constitute one percent in Armenia,
to say nothing of independent courts,' he said.
Ishkhanyan also pointed out the need for a mechanism of reforming
penitentiary treatment.
Armenian News - Tert.am