DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
May 20 2008
Armenia

On May 19 the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia Mr Tigran Torosyan received the delegation headed by Ms Maud de
Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The
Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe in Armenia Ms Boyana Urumova and the Permanent Representative
of Armenia in PACE Mr Christian Ter-Stepanian attended the meeting.

Stressing the support that Armenia had repeatedly received
upon different occasions during its seven year membership to the
Council of Europe the President of the National Assembly Mr Tigran
Torosyan touched upon the steps, undertaken to fulfill the PACE
1609 resolution. It was noted that the discussions On Amending the
Law on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations
are also an example of wonderful cooperation with PACE, when in one
month it was possible to reach an agreement over recommendations with
the experts of the Venice Commission and already in parliament the
amendments made on the basis of those recommendations. Mr Torosyan
also noted that at the consultation held by the President of the
Republic of Armenia Mr Serge Sargsyan an agreement was reached on
setting up an Ad-hoc Committee of the National Assembly (during the
June four-day sittings), which will investigate the reasons of the
March events with the participation of extra-parliamentary forces,
public and international organizations. The definition of the problems
and authorities of that committee was highlighted. The NA President
also touched upon the opposition’s rights recorded in the PACE 1601
resolution, noting that there were already 22 from 27 of them by RA
Constitution and laws, and the two of them require constitutional
amendments, and a draft law was being prepared over three of them. It
was noted that the President of the Republic of Armenia was going
set up a Public Council, which could become an important platform
for the dialogue with opposition proposed by PACE. The NA President
reminded that 8 criminal cases had been investigated, as a result of
which the accused were released, provided not to commit a crime. The
NA President underlined that he fully shared the view, according
to which, those who committed crimes criminally punished should be
obligatory punished, but the people should not be punished merely for
their expressed views and ideas. The NA President also said that for
the improvement of the electoral legislation and process a working
group was set up in the National Assembly with participation of the
representatives of parties, international and public organizations. Mr
Torosyan noted that the March events, as a result of which there were
10 victims and more than 200 wounded, should not be connected with
elections: the presidential elections had received their assessment
by the international observers, the results were appealed in the
Constitutional Court, and its decision had already been. The NA
President considered unacceptable the assessment that the police
applied force towards peaceful demonstrators, noting that, of course,
there were peaceful demonstrators in the territory adjacent to the
Embassy of France, but unequivocally there were also people armed
with metallic rods, grenades and "Molotov cocktails", who reached
up to Mashtots avenue. They had destroyed places and they should be
punished for the crimes they had committed . We should do everything
possible in order to avoid such events being repeated.

Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council
of Europe, noted that in the Council of Europe they were well aware of
the events taking place in Armenia, and they tried to support Armenia,
and she expressed her satisfaction that in the National Assembly
they rapidly touched upon the recommendations on Amending the law on
Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations. As Ms
Maud de Boer-Buquicchio assessed, the committee for the investigation
of the March events should be independent, enjoy the society’s trust
and act transparently. She stressed the disclosure of the reasons
of what took place, and considered necessary the participation of
the representatives of the civil society. The consultation with the
Commissioner of CE Human Rights was regarded useful with the purpose
of including experts. The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of
Europe also touched upon the issue of the detained, noting that the
issue was discussed with the Minister of Justice too, and she asked
to pass to the relevant instances that it would be right to release
those who would not hamper the investigation of the case. In Ms Maud
de Boer-Buquicchio’s opinion, the issue of lawfulness of the actions
of the law enforcement bodies should be also investigated.

The President of the National Assembly Mr Tigran Torosyan noted that
at the consultation held by the President of the Republic of Armenia,
it was underlined in that issue that if the investigation clarified
the use of severe punitive measures, those who are guilty, would be
punished. The NA President ensured that the cases are completely under
investigation, as well as Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio’s question – to
what extent are lawful the actions of the law enforcement bodies. He
expressed hope that though there is need of a great amount of work, but
the complete picture would be clarified as a result of investigation.

During the meeting other issues were also discussed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress