YERKIR UNION CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS OF GEORGIAN ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.01.2009 14:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yerkir, the Union of Public Organizations, eyes the
arrests of Grigor Minasyan and Sargis Hakobjanian as a provocation
aimed to destabilize Samtskhe Javakheti and split the Armenian-Georgian
relations.

Grigor Minasyan and Sargis Hakobjanyan are accused of formation of
illegal armed unit and espionage.

A criminal case in compliance with articles 18.1, 223.1 and 314 of
the Georgian Penal Code was initiated. The investigation is led by
intelligence agency of the Interior Ministry.

"Official Tbilisi tries to avoid fulfillment of international
obligations on protection of ethnic minorities’ rights. Yerkir
Union calls on the international community to address problems of
Georgian Armenians," Yerkir program director Robert Tatoyan told a
news conference in Yerevan today.

For his part, Yerkir President Sevak Arstruni said that fear drives
Armenians out of Javakheti.

"We understand that the Armenian authorities can’t take drastic
measures. That is why we call on the Diaspora to join efforts to
protect Armenians of Georgia," he said.

At that, he warned that Azerbaijan is circulating rumors that Armenians
of Javakheti "want to declare independence."