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AMNESTY: PARLIAMENT VOTES TO RELEASE, REDUCE SENTENCES FOR HUNDREDS OF CONVICTS
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The amnesty passed Thursday by the parliament with a unanimous
vote of 102 members of parliament who participated in the ballot
has stirred higher than usual interest. The amnesty will apply to a
number of high-ranking officials and clerks, convicted for bribery
over the past few years, but it is believed that it will also apply to
Armenian National Congress activist, oppositionist Tigran Arakelyan,
in prison since 2011 to serve a six-year term.
Justice minister Hrayr Tovmasyan stated that amnesty should be
perceived in several ways - when applied to some it means immediate
release, to others it means release if they have taken certain
punishment, there is a category to which it means cutting down the
term they have to serve, and another category of convicts who will
be granted amnesty.
The minister gave assurances that Tigran Arakelyan, former head of
road police Margar Ohanyan, former head of the RA Police's Criminal
Investigation Department Hovhannes Tamamyan (sentenced to four years),
and Republican Vazgen Khachikyan, former head of State Service of
Social Welfare at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs do not
fall under the last category.
"I cannot say. There are no limitations applicable to them, which does
not mean, however, that they will immediately be released, it might
mean that the rest of their terms might be reduced. We have a rather
large set of articles providing for cutting down the remaining term by
six months only. We have to look at the articles. Vazgen Khachikyan's
conviction articles do not fall under limitations. I cannot say which
article will apply to them. The same refers to Major General Hovhannes
Tamamyan," he said.
The bill on the amnesty will apply to those who committed a crime
before September 1 of 2013, inclusive. As opposed to the previous
amnesties this one covers a larger scope of convictions: convicts
with disabilities of 1st and 2nd rank, over 60 years of age, those
who committed a crime before they turned 18, who have no prior
convictions. Participants of the active hostilities for Armenia's
and Karabakh's defense, who have no prior conviction records.
The brother of Avetik Bughadyan killed in the cross-shooting incident
near former Syunik governor's house says he won't agree to being
released under amnesty. Bughadyan is accused of issuing threats.
"We will demand to have the case sent to the court, and he will either
be found guilty or acquitted. It would let people see the full extent
of terrible violations committed in the investigation process and
see the reality," Bughadyan's attorney Hayk Alumyan told RFE/RL.
According to sociologist Aharon Adibekyan, the act of amnesty means
the judicial system in the country is not rational, not fundamental
and highlights the imperfection of the legal system, although, in
general is a humanitarian approach.
'Armenian Innocence Project' NGO leader Zaruhi Meljumyan believes
amnesty is world-accepted format and is practiced in many countries
on state and religious holidays.
"This year's amnesty has progress, as it covers also grave offences.
Such wrongdoers' terms will be cut by six months," he says.
Under the September 27, 2011, amnesty declared on the occasion of the
20th anniversary of Armenia's independence, 590 convicts were released
right away, 424 convicts' punishment was reduced. By the current
amnesty 400-500 convicts will be pardoned and immediately released.
http://armenianow.com/news/48941/armenian_national_congress_tigran_arakelyan_hryar_ tovmasyan
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The amnesty passed Thursday by the parliament with a unanimous
vote of 102 members of parliament who participated in the ballot
has stirred higher than usual interest. The amnesty will apply to a
number of high-ranking officials and clerks, convicted for bribery
over the past few years, but it is believed that it will also apply to
Armenian National Congress activist, oppositionist Tigran Arakelyan,
in prison since 2011 to serve a six-year term.
Justice minister Hrayr Tovmasyan stated that amnesty should be
perceived in several ways - when applied to some it means immediate
release, to others it means release if they have taken certain
punishment, there is a category to which it means cutting down the
term they have to serve, and another category of convicts who will
be granted amnesty.
The minister gave assurances that Tigran Arakelyan, former head of
road police Margar Ohanyan, former head of the RA Police's Criminal
Investigation Department Hovhannes Tamamyan (sentenced to four years),
and Republican Vazgen Khachikyan, former head of State Service of
Social Welfare at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs do not
fall under the last category.
"I cannot say. There are no limitations applicable to them, which does
not mean, however, that they will immediately be released, it might
mean that the rest of their terms might be reduced. We have a rather
large set of articles providing for cutting down the remaining term by
six months only. We have to look at the articles. Vazgen Khachikyan's
conviction articles do not fall under limitations. I cannot say which
article will apply to them. The same refers to Major General Hovhannes
Tamamyan," he said.
The bill on the amnesty will apply to those who committed a crime
before September 1 of 2013, inclusive. As opposed to the previous
amnesties this one covers a larger scope of convictions: convicts
with disabilities of 1st and 2nd rank, over 60 years of age, those
who committed a crime before they turned 18, who have no prior
convictions. Participants of the active hostilities for Armenia's
and Karabakh's defense, who have no prior conviction records.
The brother of Avetik Bughadyan killed in the cross-shooting incident
near former Syunik governor's house says he won't agree to being
released under amnesty. Bughadyan is accused of issuing threats.
"We will demand to have the case sent to the court, and he will either
be found guilty or acquitted. It would let people see the full extent
of terrible violations committed in the investigation process and
see the reality," Bughadyan's attorney Hayk Alumyan told RFE/RL.
According to sociologist Aharon Adibekyan, the act of amnesty means
the judicial system in the country is not rational, not fundamental
and highlights the imperfection of the legal system, although, in
general is a humanitarian approach.
'Armenian Innocence Project' NGO leader Zaruhi Meljumyan believes
amnesty is world-accepted format and is practiced in many countries
on state and religious holidays.
"This year's amnesty has progress, as it covers also grave offences.
Such wrongdoers' terms will be cut by six months," he says.
Under the September 27, 2011, amnesty declared on the occasion of the
20th anniversary of Armenia's independence, 590 convicts were released
right away, 424 convicts' punishment was reduced. By the current
amnesty 400-500 convicts will be pardoned and immediately released.
http://armenianow.com/news/48941/armenian_national_congress_tigran_arakelyan_hryar_ tovmasyan
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress