PRESSURE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IS ONLY WEAPON

Lragir.am
08-06-2007 15:46:55

On June 8 the Civil National Initiative held a discussion entitled
"Levon Gulyan: One Life – Challenge to Society". Levon Gulyan was the
director of the Pandok Restaurant. He witnessed assassination in front
of his restaurant and was invited to the Police Department of Shengavit
on May 12 and afterwards taken to the town department where he died
some time later. His family say he was beaten to death, and denounce
Hovik Tamamyan, a senior police official. The Police maintain Levon
Gulyan tried to escape and fell out of the window of the second floor.

Representatives of NGOs, members of parliament from the Heritage Party
took part in the discussion. The leader of the Heritage Party Raffi
Hovannisian said the state is secure if every citizen is secure in
their own country protected "by the law and civil rights." According
to Raffi Hovannisian, Levon Gulyan’s death is a tragedy not only for
Gulyan’s family and friends but also for Armenia, because nobody has
the right to violate human dignity, the life given to us by God.

Jemma Gulyan, Levon Gulyan’s wife, told that Levon had been invited
to the police before May 12 and returned home. On May 12, a few hours
before the tragedy, he had already been to the Police. "He could
not have escaped." The Office of Prosecutor General took criminal
proceedings under the article "to lead to suicide". According to
Levon’s family, the police is trying to hide the wrongdoers, Hovik
Tamamyan, and accuse Levon Gulyan in the assassination in front of
his restaurant.

The representatives of the NGOs think the man dies at the law
enforcement agency, there are charges of leading a person into
committing a suicide, consequently, "the guilt of the Police
is acknowledged." And it is not important whether Hovik Tamamyan
is guilty or not, it is important who is guilty. However, the only
hope is the international organizations. The chair of the Hope NGO
Karen Hakobyan thinks the pressure of the international organization
is the only way to reach justice. "Armenia is becoming increasingly
autocratic, there is no guarantee that there will be no pressure on
NGOs, and crackdown on pluralism."

For the sake of justice the Yerevan office of the OSCE invited
experts from Germany and Denmark who examined the body. However,
their conclusion has not reached Armenia, although they said to send
it by express main.

The Prosecutor General promised transparency to the relatives of Levon
Gulyan. The relatives said they have seen no transparency so far. Armen
Harutiunyan, the ombudsman of Armenia, promised to focus on this case.