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

Panorama.am
13:47 28/03/06

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. 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.