NO ONE WAS CONVICTED FOR POLITICAL REASONS IN ARMENIA, RPA DEPUTY IS CONVINCED

Noyan Tapan

Feb 10, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Resolution N 1643 adopted at the
PACE January session is a resolution on the fulfillment process of
Resolutions N 1609 and 1620. Gagik Melikian, a member of the RPA
parliamentary faction, characterized this way the new PACE resolution
on Armenia at the February 10 press conference.

According to him, there was indeed a necessity to amend Articles 225
and 300, RA Criminal Code, and the Armenian authorities were also
aware of it.

According to G. Melikian’s estimation, those articles gave an occasion
for variant reading and different interpretations. According to him,
"at the moment, no one can say what impact the amendments and addenda
will have on the trial on the "case of the seven." The RPA deputy
considers that only after the sentence is passed one can say whether
the arrested people are political prisoners or not. Meanwhile he said:
"I absolutely do not agree to the opinion that someone has been
convicted or is convicted for political reasons in Armenia."

According to G. Melikian’s affirmation, in order to come out of
the formed situation a dialogue should be launched between the
authorities and opposition. And for it, according to him, every side
should first of all admit its mistakes and faults. And in response
to the question of what is the fault of the authorities, he said:
"Their passive actions."

G. Melikian highly assessed RA President’s speech at the 45th Munich
Security Conference. "We really are not afraid of a war. We have seen
a war, we have won a war. We just do not want a war meanwhile being
ready for operations at any time," he said.