Interfax News Agency, Russia
April 25 2008

ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN ALARMED BY HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION

Armenia’s ombudsman Armen Arutyunian has published a special report on
the February 19 presidential election and on subsequent developments
in Armenia.

Arutyunian said, while presenting his report at a news conference,
that the presidential election and the events that followed had a
strong impact on the human rights situation in Armenia.

"A system has formed which divides the country into "us" and "the
rest", while the proclaimed democratic principles of forming power are
in fact fake, he said. "Legal political struggle has thus been
restricted," he also said.

The new president and the governing coalition have inherited a grave
legacy from the previous leadership, Arutyunian said. "We would rather
do without this legacy. But if it’s there, we must look for ways out,"
he said.