COMMITTEE FOR PROTECTION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS CALLS ON PACE TO DEPRIVE ARMENIA OF VOTING RIGHT

Noyan Tapan

Jan 26, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Committee for Protection of
Political Prisoners and Persecuted Persons in Armenia has called on
the PACE to deprive the Armenian delegation of voting rights during
the January plenary session.

"In Armenia, there is no parliament elected through implementation
of the people’s free will, and this delegation does not represent
the interests of our people. The Armenian parliament today is only
a body expressing the interests and acting as an appendage of the
executive power that fires at its own people and has filled prisons
with its political opponents," is said in the Committee’s application
to the PACE.

It is noted that despite Resolutions 1609 and 1620 passed by the PACE,
in the past ten months the Armenian authorities have not taken any
real steps to release political prisoners and create an atmosphere of
tolerance in the country. "We are convinced that only your principled
approches and opinions, including the deprivation of the Armenian
delegation of voting rights, will sober the Armenian authorities and
contribute to a less strained atmosphere in Armenia and the rapid
release of the political prisoners," the statement reads.