di-ve.com, Malta
April 14 2006
Deported Armenian journalist did not apply for refugee status –
Charles Buttigieg
by Paul Cachia, di-ve news (pcachia@di-ve.com)
GUDJA, Malta (di-ve news)–April 14, 2007 – 1300CEST–A tricky
diplomatic situation could have developed at the Malta International
Airport on Friday as an Armenian journalist who fled her country
after exposing electoral fraud arrived in Malta from the UK.
TV reporter Jina Khachatryan lived in the UK for five years as an
asylum seekers but her request for refugee status and turned down by
the British authorities.
According to Maltastar last Monday, the British police cordoned off
the street where Jina lived in Salford and was ordered her family to
pack up. Together with her husband, and five-year-old daughter was
thrown out of the UK.
Ms.Khachatryan claimed that her life in danger if she is sent back to
Armenia after blowing the whistle on ballot-rigging.
She arrived in Malta on board an Air Malta flight but during her
nine-hour stay, she did not apply for a refugee status in Malta.
The Refugee Commissioner Mr.Charles Buttigieg told that
his office did not receive any application for a refugee status.
He added that this issue was handled by the Immigration police.
Meanwhile, the Journalists’ Committee and the Institute of Maltese
Journalists called on the local authorities to intervene in the case
of Gina Khachatryan.
The Institute of Maltese Journalists also called on the British
authorities to reverse their decision not to extend Ms Khachatryan’s
stay in the United Kingdom.
"As a promoter of democracy and human rights on a global scale, the
United Kingdom should not shrink its responsability in this case and
hand over Ms Khachatryan and her family to the Armenian government".
On its part, the Journalists’ Committee called on the Maltese
government to seek the reassurances of the British government that
Ms.Khachatryan will be free from any form of presecution and
intimidation by the Armenian authorities and that the reason for the
removal of her asylum status is in full conformity with fundamental
human rights.