ARMENIA HAS ALMOST FULFILLED ALL PACE DEMANDS, RAFIK PETROSIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN. There are no political prisoners
in Armenia, as criminal cases are examined on people imprisoned
on the case of the March 1 events, and the court passes sentences
for committing an aciton liable for criminal prosecution towards
them. Rafik Petrosian, a member of the RA NA RPA faction, expressed
such an opinion at the December 9 press conference. At the same time
he said that if it is disclosed in the process of trial of these cases
that the prosecution is only based on self-confession or policemen’s
evidence, the court has no right to pass accusatory sentences.

R. Petrosian considers that we should liquidate the strained situation
in the country. And for that purpose the deputy proposes freeing
people of criminal liability or grant an amnesty to them. R. Petrosian
also stated that Armenia has fulfilled almost all demands of PACE
Resolutions N 1609 and 1620: only the "case of the seven" remains,
which has been already sent to the court.

However, Lyudmila Sargsian, the Chairwoman of the Social-Democratic
Hnchakian Party, considers that hardly a fair sentence will be
passed on that case, as a result of which Armenia will be faced by
great problems.

According to her, unless these and other cases contain facts proving
people’s guilt, it means that the imprisoned people are political
prisoners.