PACE NOT TO SUSPEND ARMENIA’S VOTING RIGHT

APA
Jan 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Strasbourg. Alexander Kin-APA. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe did not suspend Armenia’s voting right, APA’s special
correspondent reports from Strasbourg.

PACE winter session has put resolution on Armenia to the vote. 141 PACE
MPs voted for the resolution, three against it, 5 were neutral. Though,
preliminary draft resolution envisages to suspending Armenia’s voting
right, PACE Monitoring Committee amended the resolution. According
to amendments Armenia was not deprived from voting right. If there
is not serious progress in democratization in the country, PACE will
reconsider the issue during April Session.

Current Resolution covers anxiety about arrest of people
participated in protest actions after presidential elections in
Armenia. PACE declared that these people were arrested basing on
political motives. PACE assessed Armenian president’s decision on
establishment of experts’ group to investigate developments occurred
on March 1-2. The document says that hiding the activity of the group
decreases belief of people for measures taken in the country. PACE
urged all political parties to avoid politicizing activity of experts’
group and called on the Government to create condition for cooperation
between state bodies and investigation group. PACE expressed regret
at not caring PACE calls on release of imprisoned people arrested
during developments happened on March 1-2. The resolution envisages
that an investigation carried out on imprisoned people mostly based
on testimonies of the police.