CONVERSATION WITH THE ARMENIAN POPULATION OF GEORGIA FROM THE POSITION OF STRENGTH LEADS TO A DEAD END

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.11.2009 17:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Proceedings of Javakhk activist Vahagn Chakhalyan’s
case in the Court of Appeals of Georgia was held by the same "scenario"
as it was conducted in the court of first instance, Robert Tatoyan,
program coordinator the Yerkir Union told a press conference in
Yerevan today.

"Javakhk political activist has been deprived of the opportunity to
be defended by his chosen counselor, the translation of court hearings
into Armenian was incomplete, which deprived Vahagn Chakhalyn and his
Armenian defense counsel to participate fully in the proceedings, the
court refused to invite for questioning the witnesses, who have not
been questioned at the court of first instance, the court illegally
rejected numerous other motions of the defense, " Robert Tatoyan said.

According to him, the Georgian justice chose "not to notice" the
fact that the cause of arrest and imprisonment of Vahagn Chakhalyan
is purely political and has no connection with the charges against him.

Accordingly, the Union Yerkir encourages international organizations
and human rights organizations to take effective steps to prevent a
deepening crisis in the Armenian-populated areas of Georgia, prompting
Georgian authorities to cease the repression, release the Javakheti
political leader and find acceptable solutions of problems concerning
the Armenian minority.

"Now is the time when the international community must send the
Georgian authorities a clear and precise message that the conversation
with the Armenian population of the country from the positions of
power, repression and deprivation of rights leads to a dead end,"
Robert Tatoyan said.