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PACE still seriously concerned by the situation of detainees in Armenia
but will not apply sanctions to the Armenian delegation
Strasbourg, 27.01.2009 – At the end of this morning’s winter session
debate and following the proposals of the monitoring co-rapporteurs for
Armenia, Georges Colombier (France, EPP/CD) and John Prescott (United
Kingdom, SOC), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) decided not to suspend the voting rights of the members of the
Armenian delegation to the Assembly at this stage, viewing the recent
initiatives of the Armenian authorities as an indication of their
readiness to address the demands made by PACE in its Resolutions 1609
(2008)
< link=3D/Documents/AdoptedText/ta08/ERES1609.htm> ; and 1620 (2008)
< 3D/documents/adoptedtext/ta08/eres1620.htm> .
The Assembly remains dissatisfied and seriously concerned by the
situation of persons deprived of their liberty in relation to the events
of 1 and 2 March 2008. Nevertheless, it believes that the number of
pardons granted by President Sarkissian (28 to date), the National
Assembly’s recent initiative to revise articles 225 and 300 of Armenia’s
Criminal Code (on "public order offences" and "usurping power") in
accordance with Council of Europe standards within no more than two
months(*) and the positive steps taken towards the establishment of an
independent, transparent and credible inquiry, indicate that the
Armenian authorities are prepared to address the Assembly’s demands.
The Assembly expressed its concern over those who had been imprisoned
for political reasons following the events of 1 and 2 March 2008 and
called on the Armenian authorities to continue releasing them by using
other legal means, including amnesties or the dropping of charges. PACE
also invited its Monitoring Committee to examine, before the April
part-session, the progress achieved by the Armenian authorities with
regard to the implementation of today’s resolution – as well as the
previous ones – and to propose any further action to be taken by the
Assembly as required by the situation.
Resolution 1643
< Documents/AdoptedText/ta09/ERES1643.htm>
Annou ncement of last monitoring visit to Armenia by the co-rapporteurs
< sManager/EMB_NewsManagerView.asp?ID=3D4317>
PA CE monitoring committee demands suspension of Armenian delegation’s
voting rights
< ressView.asp?ID=3D2105>
—————
(*) Under the Constitution of Armenia, any positive changes to the law
would be retroactive with respect to the charges brought against the
persons deprived of their liberty in relation to the events of 1 and 2
March 2008.
Press Release
Parliamentary Assembly – Communication Unit
Ref: 066a09
Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 31 93
Fax +33 (0)3 90 21 41 34
Internet:
e-mail: pace.com@coe.int
The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 318 members from the national
parliaments of the 47 member states.
President: Lluís Maria de Puig (Spain, SOC) – Secretary General of the
Assembly: Mateo Sorinas.
Political groups: EPP/CD (Group of the European People’s Party); SOC
(Socialist Group); EDG (European Democrat Group);
ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); UEL (Group of the
Unified European Left).