PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: info@heritage.am; office@heritage.am
Website:

March 27, 2006

IN DEFENSE OF HERITAGE

Since March 4, 2006, Chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian of the Heritage
Party and the staff of its central office have been forcibly denied
the right of entry into their own place of work, which under the
existing contract is theirs until June of this year.

Considering this to be a flagrant infringement, on the part of the
incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of fundamental civil
liberties and political freedoms, MP and chairman of the National
Democrats’ Alliance Arshak Sadoyan has launched an initiative
whereby he has petitioned all political parties in Armenia as well
as institutions that are interested in the establishment of democracy
in the Republic to raise their voice of protest against this blatant
lawlessless.

The authors of this initiative declare that the letter is open to all
political forces and public and private organizations which choose
to demonstrate their solidarity on this matter.

OPEN LETTER TO ARMENIA’S CITIZENS AND ALL INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN
ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN THE REPUBLIC

On March 4, 2006, a criminal break-in took place at the premises which
Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian has
been leasing for more than 12 years. Without advance notice on legal
warrant, the lock of the Heritage Party headquarters’ main outer door
was smashed and replaced with another.

As a result, the chairman of the Heritage Party and the staff of its
central office have been forcibly denied the right of entry into their
own place of work, which under the existing contract is theirs until
June of this year.

The absolute closure of access to Heritage’s official seal, documents,
computers, and means of telecommunication has brought the party’s
activities to a standstill, paralyzing the regular contact between
its headquarters and regional offices.

Raffi Hovannisian and the executive board of the Heritage Party have
issued formal and telephonic petitions to Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian, Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepian, and Police Chief Haik
Harutiunian regarding this unlawful act. No response, explanation,
or comment has been received to date from the law enforcement bodies.

In fact, the constitutional order has once again been violated in
Armenia. A leading opposition party that has stood out of late with its
civic and public initiatives has effectively and illegally been shut
down. We consider this to be a flagrant infringement, on the part of
the incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of fundamental civil
liberties and political freedoms.

We demand that the Armenian authorities reopen the Heritage Party
headquarters immediately and implement measures guaranteeing its
normal, unfettered, and secure operations.

Forum of Intellectuals of Armenia National Democrats’ Alliance Republic
Party National Rebirth Party National Democratic Union New Times Party
Social Democrat Hnchak Party Social Democratic Party of Armenia Social
Ecological Party of Armenia Democratic Motherland Party Motherland
and Pride Union National Unity Mission Party Armenian Arian Union
Armenian Center for Cultural Assistance and Strategy “Human Rights 96”
NGO “The Officer’s Pride” NGO Anti-globalists’ Union “People are the
Country’s Owners” Union