"HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" INTERNATIONAL REMEDIAL ORGANIZATION IS DEEPLY ANXIOUS ABOUT STATEMENTS OF TORTURES AND INHUMAN TREATMENT ON CASE OF THREE ARMENIAN SERVICEMEN
ARMINFO News Agency
September 27, 2006 Wednesday
The "Human Rights Watch" International Remedial Organization expresses
its deep anxiety about the statements of tortures and inhuman
treatment on the case of three Armenian servicemen, Razmik Sargsyan,
Musa Serobyan, Araik Zalyan, condemned for the murder of their two
fellow-servicemen, it is said in the letter of the Executive Director
of Europe and Central Asia, Holly Cartner, addressed to Chairman of
RA Court of Appeal, Hovhannes Manukyan. To be reminded, R. Sargssyan,
M. Serobyan and A. Zalyan are condemned by the Court of Appeal to
life imprisonment, accused of the murder of their fellow-servicemen,
Hovsep Mkrtumyan and Roman Yeghiazaryan.
Earlier, the Trail Court of RA Syunik region had condemned them to 15
years of imprisonment. According to the case materials, H. Mkrtumyan
and R. Yeghiazaryan had disappeared from the Matagis military unit
of NKR Martakert region December 24, 2003. Only a fortnight later,
January 8, 2004, the Prosecutor’s Office has instituted criminal
proceedings on the fact of the servicemen disappearance. The next
day, January 9, the bodies of H. Mkrtumyan and R. Yeghiazaryan with
the traces of violence were found in the Matagis water channel. As
the advocates state, the testimonies of confession were obtained by
examination under pressure.
As it is noted in the letter, during his recent trip to Armenia, the
Human Rights Watch had gathered an information on this case. "Not
talking of the guilt and innocence of the clients, we are anxious
about the fact that the sentence of both courts was mainly based
upon the testimonies of confession of one of the accused, Razmik
Sargssyan. There are all reasons to suppose that these testimonies
of confession were given by him after tortures".