HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH IN DEFENSE OF ARMAN BABAJANIAN

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04 July, 2008

"Dear Prime Minister Sargsyan and Minister Danielyan,

We are writing to encourage you to ensure the release of the well-known
journalist and editor Arman Babajanian from prison based on his
pending request for parole.

Arman Babajanian is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zhamanak
Daily, an independent daily newspaper published in Yerevan and Los
Angeles, California. He was arrested on June 26, 2006 on charges of
evading military service and falsification of documents related to
his military service. He admitted to the charges, paid the required
fines, and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Babajanian has now
served two years in prison. The criminal code does not specifically
envision imprisonment for evading military service, although when
sentences are issued, they are typically for 2-3 years.

Babajanian, given his good conduct, is now eligible for parole. His
request last year for parole based on good conduct was denied. We
consider the additional 1.5 years that he has yet to serve is
disproportionate to the offense, and call on you to review his case
and grant him early release.

Babajanian’s case has been recognized by Human Rights Watch in its
2007 and 2008 World Reports, by other major international human rights
groups, and by the U.S. State Department, as reflected in its Human
Rights Report for Armenia for 2007.

We therefore ask for your intervention in urging the responsible
authorities to support the request that would afford him his earned
opportunity for early release on good conduct. Babajanian’s release
would send a positive signal to both Armenia’s international partners
and to the Armenian public that you and other senior officials are
concerned about the present critical state of human rights in Armenia
and taking concrete steps to address particular concerns.

We thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Holly Cartner

Executive Director

Europe and Central Asia Division