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ARMENIA'S GOVERNMENT MUST SHOW HUMANISTIC APPROACH TO LIFE-TERMERS, LAWYERS SAY
13:25 03.10.13
Members of the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia believe that
the government should show a humanistic approach to some of the
life-termers without necessarily doing so by means of amnesties,
the lawyers Tigran Atanesyan, Kromvel Grigoryan, Yervand Varosyan,
Tigran Ter-Yesayan, as well as Chairwoman of the Armenian Innocence
Program NGO Zaruhi Mezhlumyan, told Tert.am.
Ms Mezhlumyan noted that the government should show a selective
approach to certain groups of prisoners, namely, the life-termers with
the first conviction sentenced for murdering one person, as well as
the life-termers who were aged 18 to 21 in committing the crimes.
"We have gathered numerous signatures in favor of pardon acts rather
than amnesty acts because the former applies to felons, while the
latter to misdemeanants. But we have not so far received any response,"
Ms Mezhlumyan said.
Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan objects to an indiscriminate approach to
prisoners. "A selective approach should be shown, with each case
thoroughly reviewed because some the people in question have no
right to be released. For example, the murderer of a child must die
in prison. But we must have a policy because punishment is supposed
to reform people. Therefore, they must be given a chance to petition
for pardon in 20-25 years because some people committed crimes in
certain circumstances," he said.
Lawyer Kromvel Grigoryan shares this opinion. "The problem does exist
and it should be solved by means of pardon as well. In examining
criminal cases we see our impression can change," he said.
Lawyer Yervan Varosyan notes that amnesty is not a solution. The only
way to mitigate the punishment is to replace the life sentence with a
specific prison term. "The government must show an individual approach,
but it fails to perform its duty," he said.
This is a full-scale amnesty in Armenia. It will be applied to some
felons. However, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, Koryun Arakelyan was harshly
critical of the government for its intention to apply the amnesty
in some first-degree murder cases and refuse to apply it in drug
trafficking cases.
Ms Mezhlumyan welcomes the fact that some felons have been amnestied
since 1992. "We should realize the fact that prisoners are under stress
every time, waiting for amnesty though they are well aware they will
not be freed under it. But their relatives, parents call us in the
hope their sons will be included in the amnesty this time," she said.
In world legal practice amnesty is sometimes applied to felons. Such
a revolutionary approach was first shown in Iran. As to minor crimes,
Iran and Georgia practice "sweeping amnesties" after each religious
holiday, Mezhlumyan said.
Armenian News - Tert.am
13:25 03.10.13
Members of the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia believe that
the government should show a humanistic approach to some of the
life-termers without necessarily doing so by means of amnesties,
the lawyers Tigran Atanesyan, Kromvel Grigoryan, Yervand Varosyan,
Tigran Ter-Yesayan, as well as Chairwoman of the Armenian Innocence
Program NGO Zaruhi Mezhlumyan, told Tert.am.
Ms Mezhlumyan noted that the government should show a selective
approach to certain groups of prisoners, namely, the life-termers with
the first conviction sentenced for murdering one person, as well as
the life-termers who were aged 18 to 21 in committing the crimes.
"We have gathered numerous signatures in favor of pardon acts rather
than amnesty acts because the former applies to felons, while the
latter to misdemeanants. But we have not so far received any response,"
Ms Mezhlumyan said.
Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan objects to an indiscriminate approach to
prisoners. "A selective approach should be shown, with each case
thoroughly reviewed because some the people in question have no
right to be released. For example, the murderer of a child must die
in prison. But we must have a policy because punishment is supposed
to reform people. Therefore, they must be given a chance to petition
for pardon in 20-25 years because some people committed crimes in
certain circumstances," he said.
Lawyer Kromvel Grigoryan shares this opinion. "The problem does exist
and it should be solved by means of pardon as well. In examining
criminal cases we see our impression can change," he said.
Lawyer Yervan Varosyan notes that amnesty is not a solution. The only
way to mitigate the punishment is to replace the life sentence with a
specific prison term. "The government must show an individual approach,
but it fails to perform its duty," he said.
This is a full-scale amnesty in Armenia. It will be applied to some
felons. However, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, Koryun Arakelyan was harshly
critical of the government for its intention to apply the amnesty
in some first-degree murder cases and refuse to apply it in drug
trafficking cases.
Ms Mezhlumyan welcomes the fact that some felons have been amnestied
since 1992. "We should realize the fact that prisoners are under stress
every time, waiting for amnesty though they are well aware they will
not be freed under it. But their relatives, parents call us in the
hope their sons will be included in the amnesty this time," she said.
In world legal practice amnesty is sometimes applied to felons. Such
a revolutionary approach was first shown in Iran. As to minor crimes,
Iran and Georgia practice "sweeping amnesties" after each religious
holiday, Mezhlumyan said.
Armenian News - Tert.am