DAY OF SHAME: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS MARKED IN ARMENIA

Tert
Oct 30 2009
Armenia

October 30 is the International Day of Solidarity with Political
Prisoners (historically noted in the USSR) and since there are still
17 political prisoners in Armenia, Armenian National Congress (ANC)
activists, together with ANC representatives and former political
prisoners, held a protest in front of the Republic of Armenia
prosecutor’s office building.

Demonstration participants were chanting, among other things,
"We demand!", "Freedom!", "Fight, fight till the end!". There were
also numerous posters in their hands. When ANC youth began to use a
megaphone and beat drums, police officers on the other side of the
street, who were gradually increasing in number, approached the group
and told them to stop beating drums and using a megaphone.

Republic of Armenia former foreign minister, ex-political prisoner
Alexander Arzoumanyan, who was participating in the action, said today
is our nation’s day of shame, since there are political prisoners in
an independent Armenia.

"It seems to me that we should remember this day as a nightmare left
over from the Soviet Union-era, and we should be proud that after
building statehood we don’t have such problems, but I mark this day
with shame because our friends are still in prison. We must fight as
long as there is even one prisoner imprisoned for his political views.

That is all of our shame," Arzumanyan said.

Committee on political prisoners and persons subjected to political
persecution of the Republic of Armenia coordinator Vardan Harutyunyan
said that this day is officially emphasized in Russia every year.