Press-release
"YERKIR" UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT
Contact: Robert Tatoyan
Mobile: +(374 94) 36 17 93
E-mail: rob@yerkir.org

August 25, 2009
Yerevan, Armenia

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES ARE CONTINUOUSLY AND DELIBERATELY STRENGTHENING
PRESSURE ON JAVAKHETI ARMENIAN POLITICAL ACTIVIST VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN

The Javakheti Armenian political activist Vahagn Chakhalyan, who had been
transferred from Gldani prison ?-8 of Tbilisi to the colony of general regime
?-2 of Rustavi on July 31 of this year, was again transferred on August 21,
this time – to the colony of strict regime ?-6 of the same town.

`Yerkir’ union declares that by transferring the Javakheti political
activist to the establishment, where the convicts are serving their sentence
for having committed grave and especially grave crimes, the Georgian
authorities, instead of ensuring the safety of Vahagn Chakhalyan, are
deliberately subjecting him to an even bigger danger.

By this step, aimed at strengthening both direct and indirect prison
pressure on Vahagn Chakhalyan, the Georgian authorities also hope to break
the determination of the latter to continue the struggle in Court, since the
completely fabricated nature of the criminal case becomes more and more
apparent in course of the trial.

Taking into account the above-stated situation, `Yerkir’ union calls upon
the Georgian authorities to stop immediately exerting pressure on Vahagn
Chakhalyan and to guarantee his safety by transferring him to the initial
place of detention at the Gldani prison of ?-8 up to the end of the entire
process of appeal (including the higher courts).

`Yerkir’ Union calls on the Public Defender of Georgia Sozar Subari, the
international human rights organizations, and accredited diplomatic missions
in Georgia to undertake effective measures and to immediately stop this new
round of pressure exerted by the Georgian authorities on Javakheti political
activist and to guarantee his safety.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress