Interfax, Russia
June 19 2009
ALMOST ALL LAST YEAR’S YEREVAN RIOTERS TO BE AMNESTIED
The Armenian Parliament has accepted President Serzh Sargsyan’s
proposal to declare an amnesty, an Interfax correspondent said.The
president proposes to amnesty persons sentenced to the maximum of
three years of imprisonment; persons on probation, who have not
violated their probation terms; persons serving sentences other than
imprisonment (an administrative fine, etc.), invalids of group 1 and
2, persons over 60 and under 18 years old, WWII veterans and those who
participated in combat operations to defend Armenia.
The amnesty will also be extended persons who committed crimes during
the riots in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, and were sentenced to no more
than five years of imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the amnesty will not apply to MP Sasun Mikaelian arrested
in connection with the March 2008 riots because he is serving a
sentence for another offense, too. Mikaelian is charged with
"organizing mass riots" and with "illegal possession of arms and
ammunition."
The amnesty will be extended to Armenia’s ex-deputy prosecutor general
Gagik Dzhangirian, ex-revenue minister Smbat Aivazian, MPs Akop
Akopian and Miasnik Malkhasian charged with "organizing mass riots."
To what extent the amnesty will be applied to MP Khachatur Sukiasian
and editor-in-chief of the Aikakan Zhamanak opposition newspaper,
Nikolu Pashinian, both of whom are currently wanted, will be clear
once these individuals will voluntarily show up and appear before
court.
After the February 19, 2008 presidential election the Armenian
opposition led by ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian organized protests
to defy the election results. On March 1 opposition protests turned
violent, as result of which ten people were killed and more than 250
were injured in clashes with police.