LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM HAS TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THE CHANGED ACCUSATIONS
ARMAN GALOYAN
LRAGIR.AM
13:30:04 – 22/04/2009
Interview with the Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia, BHK)
Parliamentary faction member, member of the Armenian delegation to
the PACE Naira Zohrabyan
– On March 30, during its session, the PACE Monitoring group decided
to dwell on the Armenian question during its upcoming full session. Do
you think the Armenian question is possible to be included on the
PACE agenda.
-I’m sure the question on Armenia will not be included on the PACE
agenda. Naturally, this question will be discussed on April 27 in the
session of the monitoring commission, but it will not be put on the
agenda of its full session. Usually, only urgent questions are put
on the PACE full session agenda. The statements of the co-reporters
and the atmosphere of the last PACE sitting create grounds to think
that this question will not be considered an urgent one.
– But, Armenia has not fulfilled the great part of the PACE
resolutions, in particular the political prisoners have not been
released. The government has only made amendments to the Articles
225 and 300 representing it as fulfillment of the resolutions.
– I don’t agree with you, because the observations of the co-reporters
on Armenia are a little different. The co-reporters stated that
they are satisfied with the revision of those Articles, because the
political element has been eliminated from there. The co-reporters
noted that they consider the National Assembly as a trustful
partner and are going to continue their cooperation with it. What
was demanded from the Armenian delegation to PACE, from the Armenian
National Assembly and the government has already been realized and
the assessment to it is rather sufficient. The National Assembly did
its job by making amendments to the Crime Code, now the ball is in
the field of the law enforcement system. The law enforcement system
has to prove the changed accusations.
– One of the demands of the PACE resolutions was the release of the
political prisoners and this demand is the most important and primary
one for the opposition.
– The PACE demanded releasing those people who did not commit
violence. I cite these words from the PACE resolution. I have to
reiterate that the ball is in the field of the law enforcement system,
the accusing side has to prove their guilt. If they really have facts,
let them presents them to the court.
– Although the Article 225 and 300 have been changed by the PACE
demand, there are prisoners who are charged under the Article 316
(resistance to governmental figure). What do you think about the rest
of the political prisoners?
– When the National Assembly working group was reviewing the Crime
Code, we faced different problems there: other articles need some
revision and clarifications on which the NA will soon dwell on. This
was also stated by the head of NA commission on the state-legislative
questions David Harutunyan when we were instructed to review only 2
articles of the Crime Code. And, if this commission will take up the
revision of other articles, the National Assembly will absolutely be
for this initiative.
-What do you think, what impedes the government from announcing
amnesty, why Serge Sargsyan is not making this step?
– Announcing amnesty is within the framework of the president’s
rights. And, Serge Sargsyan, at his latest press conference, did not
exclude the possibility for an amnesty.
– The representatives of the opposition have often called attention to
the fact that the prisoners who have borne the 1/3 of their punishment
may be set free. What do you think, why they are not being released,
why the government does not have enough political will especially if
they have possibilities for that step?
– I’m not a lawyer, and I can’t answer well under which circumstances
people have right for a pre-term release. This is not a problem
of the National Assembly but the law enforcement system. After our
amendments to the two articles, they became very clear and now the
office of the prosecutor general should give a clear accusation, and
the court should find facts and testimonies to make a verdict. After
the court’s verdict, if it is needed, we will give also a political
evaluation. As for now, I’m not going to give a political assessment.
– Let us return to the Armenia’s question, you as a parliamentary
member, are not concerned with the situation that Armenia gained a
negative image within foreign countries, as it is always presented
with negative nuances on the PACE agenda?
– Questions on numerous countries are being put on the PACE
agenda. Questions on Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan have been discussed
at several sessions. So, Armenia is not an exception. The important
is that we were able to find a right solution to the question posed
by the PACE.
– Impression is created as if the PACE would have never demanded,
it would never occur to the Armenian government to make amendments
to the Crime Code. In other words, someone else is needed from abroad
to force the government make steps.
– I don’t share your opinion. All the questions which have been
recorded by the PACE resolutions, were the most urgent questions
of the coalition. It is another question that some problems were
being solved very slowly, the March 1 events hindered to solve many
questions. Therefore, these questions have always been in the centre
of the coalition attention.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
