VISITED THE DETAINED DEPUTIES

A1+
[07:21 pm] 29 January, 2009

As assigned by Speaker of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan,
NA Chief of Staff Gegham Gharibjanyan and Chief Adviser to the NA
Speaker Victor Mnatsakanyan paid a visit January 29 to see NA Deputies
Myasnik Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikayelyan ["Kentron" penitentiary] and
Hakob Hakobyan [Hospital for detainees" penitentiary].

The deputies submitted an open letter asking the NA Speaker to convene
an NA extraordinary session with the RA Prosecutor General. They
mentioned that their guilt was not unsubstantiated and that they
demand the Prosecutor General to present evidence.

Gegham Gharibjanyan and Victor Mnatsakanyan cleared things up for the
deputies regarding their appeal. It was noted that according to article
70 of the RA Constitution, the Speaker of the RA National Assembly
convenes an extraordinary sitting or session by the initiative taken
by the President of Armenia, at least one-third of the total number
of deputies or the government.

By the 2008 March 3 decision of the NA, the trial takes place based on
the order established by the RA Trial Code after receiving consent for
mediation by the RA Prosecutor General on engaging Myasnik Malkhasyan,
Sasun Mikayelyan and Hakob Hakobyan as guilty and applying arrest as
a means of release.

The case is currently being investigated and must be held based on
principles of rule of law, human rights, respect for liberties and
dignity, release of criminal investigation, version of innocence,
fair examination of the case and other principles.

The NA Chief of Staff informed deputies that with the purpose of
drafting the bill on making amendments and additions to articles 225
and 300 of the RA Criminal Code, a Working Group has been created by
the order of NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, which will be assigned to
take into account the standards set by precedents of the European
Court of Human Rights and the issue of corresponding the principle
of legal conviction of the law when drafting the bill.