Armenian pilots forgiven

A1plus

| 15:37:13 | 06-06-2005 | Social |

ARMENIAN PILOTS FORGIVEN

On Sunday the President of the Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema
granted freedom to the 6 Armenian pilots who were imprisoned for a long time
with the accusation of participating in an attempt of political revolution
in the African country.

According to the Radio station `Azatutyun’ the forgiveness was granted as a
humanitarian act in connection with the 63rd anniversary of the President
Nguema which is celebrated in Equatorial Guinea as a national holiday.

According to the Presidential decree, the 6 Armenian pilots must be
immediately released and `be given to the authorities who will take care of
them to be transported to Armenia’.

The Armenian pilots were arrested last year in March and in November they
were sentenced to 14-24 years of imprisonment, being accused of
participating in an attempt of coup d’etat against the Equatorial Guinea
President.

The Armenian pilots who had arrived in an Armenian plane in Equatorial
Guinea in 2004 January, had managed to carry out only one flight to the
Congo Democratic Republic before being arrested.

For setting the Armenian pilots free the Armenian authorities and President
of the World Armenian congress and Union of Armenians in Russia Ara
Abrahamyan made all efforts.