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| 14:24:38 | 24-06-2005 | Social |

PEOPLE MUST NOT BE TORMENTED

According to Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan, her first annual report «gives
the outline of Armenia from the point of view of the defense of human
rights».

During today’s discussion organized in the hotel Congress, the Ombudsman
claimed that the facts represented in the report are not exaggerated, and
all the conclusions are made as a result of investigations. The ombudsman
informed the participants of the discussion organized by the «Cooperation
for Open Society» Initiative that even though there are not numerous
clear-cut examples in the report, a whole set of complaints have been
investigated.

According to her, if all the complaints were included into it, the report
«would overcome all the limits». The report refers to the violation of human
rights in different spheres. «The right of property has been continually
violated last year, and the right of fair trial has also been violated as
the court system of Armenia depends on the executive power», said the
Ombudsman.

Larissa Alaverdyan announced that despite the accusations in her address,
«She will spare no effort ad enthusiasm to eliminate torments from the field
of human rights». «Whatever crime a person may have committed, he ought not
to be tormented in humiliating way», she continued. She also mentioned that
after eliminating death penalty the legislation needs to be improved.

«It is difficult to consider the step (by the President – edit.) replacing
higher punishment by another higher one amnesty», said the Ombudsman. By the
way, many a time has she raised this problem, but there is no reference to
it by high-ranked officials yet.

President of the «Armenian Helsinki Committee» Avetiq Ishkhanyan represented
his considerations about the Ombudsman’s annual report. He confessed that
the report was a pleasant surprise for him, as in contrast to the reports of
the Human Rights Defense Committee attached to the President, it contains
analyses and reasons. But, according to him, it would be better to include
more clear-cut examples in it.

As for the critics of the report by the Justice Minister and the Attorney
General, according to Mr. Ishkhanyan, in means that the report is a good
one. «If the police answered the same way, the report would become better»,
concluded Avetiq Ishkhanyan.