AMNESTY WILL BE DECLARED IN CASE OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PRISONERS
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
15.06.2009 17:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Former speaker of the Armenian National Assembly,
member of the Armenian National Congress Karapet Rubinyan thinks
that possible announcement of amnesty "is the result of Europe’s
pressure." Amnesty is a trick the Armenian government wants to play
to prove that "we are a democracy," according to him.
"I press for release of all political prisoners. Some of them are
my friends, who will to all appearance bring a suit against the
government after discharge," Rubinyan said. For his part, MP Rafik
Petrosyan assured that amnesty is a public need. "This is a consequence
of social and political changes," he said. "Amnesty was last declared
in June 7, 2006. Some 2000 prisoners were released." At that he noted
that amnesty will be declared only in case of agreement between the
government and prisoners. "If the legal proceedings are not over and
there is no verdict, the accused can refuse to plead guilty and go
at large," he said.