"OCCURRENCES ARE RATHER VIOLENCE THAN TORTURE"

A1+
27 June, 2008

Armenia ranks among the 81 countries which still resort to torture,
Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of
Armenia, Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger said on June 27.

Today Raul de Luzenberger and France’s Ambassador to Armenia, Serzh
Smessov told a press conference in connection with the International
Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

The European Union annually earmarks 11-12 million euros (EUR)
to combat tortures. The money is usually spent on training
of law-enforcement bodies and policemen and on NGOs to render
psychological assistance to people undergoing torture.

In reply to A1+’s question whether torturers are mainly policemen and
law-enforcers, Raul de Luzenberger said: "Unfortunately, law-enforcers
ill-treat people and employ torture all over the world."

Asked whether the mass killings of 1915 can be considered as torture
and whether Turkey is included in the 81 countries, Mr. Luzenberger
first tried to find out which events we meant and then said: "They
are rather tragic events than tortures."

He advised the presentees to make inquiries about Turkey from the
"Amnesty International" Organisation which clearly defines the terms
"torture" and "violence." Then he added that many EU member countries
are involved on the list.

Later on we learnt from the organisation’s website that Turkey is
involved among the countries where torture is on the highest level.

A1+ asked the French Ambassador whether the March 1 occurrences in
front of the French Embassy can be considered torture. Serzh Smessov
said in reply: "We really feel sorry about the occurrences but they
cannot be enrolled in the category of torture."