ADDRESSED THE MINISTER

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12:48 pm | July 30, 2009

Official

Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Europe and Central Asia
division Holly Cartner sent an open letter to the RA Minister of
Justice.

Human Rights Watch appeals to the RA Minister of Justice Gevorg
Danielyan to immediately interfere in the case of editor-in-chief
of "Zhamanak-Yerevan" newspaper Arman Babajanyan and calls on the
corresponding bodies to ensure his treatment at the highest level
possible.

Let us recall that Babajanyan has a brain swelling, which has an
impact on his vision and needs immediate medical treatment.

Human Rights Watch is Deeply Concerned About Arman Babajanyan’s
State of Health On July 29 Human Rights Watch sent open letter to the
Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielyan encouraging for his immediate
intervention in urging the responsible authorities to provide Arman
Babajanyan with the highest possible standard of treatment.

July 29, 2009

Dear Minister Danielyan,

We are writing regarding the well known journalist and editor,
Arman Babajanian, who is currently nearing the end of his
three-and-a-half-year prison term on charges of draft evasion.

We have learned that Mr. Babajanian has been diagnosed with a brain
tumor, which is affecting his eyesight and requires urgent medical
intervention. We are very concerned about his health and therefore ask
for your immediate intervention in urging the responsible authorities
to provide him with the highest possible standard of treatment.

Arman Babajanian is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zhamanak
Daily, an independent daily newspaper published in Yerevan and Los
Angeles, California. He was arrested on June 26, 2006 on charges of
evading military service and falsification of documents related to his
military service. He admitted to the charges, paid the required fines,
and was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Babajanian
has now served most of his sentence and scheduled to be released in
about a month and a half.

In July 2008 Human Rights Watch urged the Armenian authorities to
grant Mr. Babajanian’s request for parole on good behavior. Despite
international encouragement the Armenian authorities did not grant
the request.

We hope that you will do everything in your power to ensure
Mr. Babajanian’s access to the highest possible standard of treatment.

We thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely, Holly Cartner Executive Director Europe and Central Asia
Division Human Rights Watch