Reuters South Africa, South Africa
June 6 2005

Armenia says Eq. Guinea coup plot pilots pardoned

Mon June 6, 2005 12:25 PM GMT+02:00
YEREVAN (Reuters) – Equatorial Guinea has pardoned six Armenian
flight crew convicted last year of plotting to overthrow the
president of the tiny West African country, Armenia’s Foreign
Ministry said on Monday.

The Armenians were among dozens of foreigners jailed in Equatorial
Guinea and Zimbabwe over the aborted coup, which Mark Thatcher, son
of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has been accused
of helping to finance.

The pardon was issued by Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema Mbasogo, Hamlet Gasparyan, spokesman for the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, told Reuters.

The six have been held in the notorious Black Beach prison in
Equatorial Guinea’s capital, Malabo. Rights group Amnesty
International said in April they risked starving to death.

Mark Thatcher has denied any role in the coup plot.

The Armenians were employed by an aircraft leasing company to fly
cargo around Africa. They have denied being involved in the plot and
Amnesty said their trial was “grossly unfair”.