PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY COMES OUT AGAINST WITHDRAWAL OF ARTICLE 301 FROM ARMENIAN CRIMINAL CODE

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

ArmInfo. The Prosperous Armenia Party doesn’t support the draft law
"On amending the Criminal Code of Armenia", which stipulates withdrawal
of Article 301 (calls of forced overthrow of the constitutional system
in Armenia) from the Criminal Code of Armenia.

To recall, the draft law was submitted for consideration of the
Armenian parliament in September by Heritage Party member Zaruhi
Postanjyan.

Aram Safaryan, a member of the parliamentary faction of Prosperous
Armenia, said at the Oct 5 press- conference at Pastark club that it
is wrong to withdraw this article only to "help some veterans of the
Karabakh war", namely Zhirayr Sefilyan, the leader of the Union of
Armenian Volunteers, and his companion-in-arms Vardan Malkhasyan.

They were arrested on Dec 9, 2007, on the suspicion of calls of forced
overthrow of the constitutional system in Armenia. "My opinion is
that there are no political prisoners in Armenia," the MP said.