TEKEYAN CULTURAL CENTER ALSO REFUSES TO PROVIDE HALL TO MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE FOR DEFENCE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS AND PERSECUTED PEOPLE

Noyan Tapan

Nov 24, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The management of Tekeyan Cultural
Center violating the agreement reached in advance, half an hour before
the round table to be held on November 24 refused to provide a hall
to the members and guests of the Committee for Defence of Political
Prisoners and Persecuted People.

As Center’s Coordinator, human rights activist Vardan Haroutiunian
stated at a press briefing organized in the center’s corridor, as
early as 10 days ago they had applied to the management of Tekeyan
Cultural Center in a written form with the request to rent center’s
big hall for two hours for organizing a round table on the subject
Political Persecutions in Armenia. Center’s management answered their
letter agreeing to provide the hall for 40 thousand drams. However,
at the last moment, according to the human rights activist, Center
Administrator Levon Tadevosian said that they cannot organize an
event in the building as a water tube had burst in the building.

Karapet Rubinian, a member of the Committee for Defence of Political
Prisoners and Persecuted People, told journalists that he examined
the tubes and made sure that they are in order. He reminded that
some weeks ago the American Business Center, the Armenia Marriott
and Congress hotels, and a number of other organizations refused to
provide a hall to the Committee.

Thus, the Committee members conclude that the only reason of refusal
is political, and the authorities by all means try to hinder figures
having opposition views to discuss the subject of political prisoners.