PRESS-RELEASE
"YERKIR", UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT
Contact: Robert Tatoyan,
Tel. +(374 10) 46 50 21; +(374 94) 36 17 93
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
February 18, 2009
Yerevan, Armenia
STATEMENT OF THE GEORGIAN OMBUDSMAN REGARDING THE PROTRACTION BY THE
GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES OF THE REGISTRATION OF THE FRENCH ATTORNEY PATRICK
ARAPIAN AS AN ADVOCATE OF VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN THE JAVAKHETI ARMENIAN POLITICAL
ACTIVIST
On February 17, 2009 the Human Rights Defender of Georgia, Sozar Subari made
a special statement regarding the protraction by the Georgian Ministry of
Justice of the registration of the French attorney Patrick Arapian as an
advocate of Vahagn Chakhalyan, the leader of the "United Javakhk" Democratic
Alliance" political movement, characterizing the situation, as a "violation
of the right to defense guaranteed by the Constitution".
The text of the statement (in Georgian) can be found on the website of the
Human Rights Defender of Georgia at
;newsid – 9 .
The English translation of the statement made by "Yerkir" Union is
presented below.
STATEMENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OF GEORGIA
On January 23, 2009 the attorney of the Republic of Armenia- Stepan
Voskanyan appealed to the Human Rights Defender of Georgia, claiming that
the rights of his clients- Ruben, Armen and Vahagn Chakhalyan had been
violated.
According to the application of the attorney Stepan Voskanyan, on November
14, 2008 the citizen Gayane Chakhalyan appealed to the Ministry of Justice
of Georgia, asking to allow the Georgian attorney Patrick Arapian to
represent the interest of her husband and her sons – Ruben, Vahagn, and
Armen Chakhalyans in court.
On January 13, 2009 by request of the Ministry of Justice, Gayane Chakhalyan
submitted to the Ministry additional documents, however the consideration of
the issue regarding the access of the French attorney to court was
protracted for unknown reasons.
On February 2, 2009 the Human Rights Defender of Georgia applied to Deputy
Minister of Justice of Georgia, Dimitri Dzagnidze, asking for information
regarding the process of considering the matter and demanding a solution
regarding the access of the French attorney Patrick Arapian to the trial of
Armen, Ruben and Vahagn Chakhalyans. However the Human Rights Defender of
Georgia hasn’t received any answer so far.
Human Rights Defender of Georgia believes, that the Ministry of Justice of
Georgia by protracting the consideration of the issue regarding the access
of the French attorney to the trial, has in fact violated the right of
Ruben, Armen and Vahagn Chakhalyans to defense, provided by the
Constitution.