MY PROMISE TO FIGHT FOR LAWFULNESS AND JUSTICE: NIKOL PASHINYAN’S ADDRESS

Tert
Nov 3 2009
Armenia

Haykakan Zhamanak ("Armenian Times") chief editor Nikol Pashinyan’s
trial resumed at the Court of First Instance of Shengavit Community
in Yerevan today. Today Pashinyan will be present at the court as a
candidate for member of parliament for the first time. In honour of
his nomination, Pashinyan sent a message, which states:

"I put forth my candidacy for member of parliament in the election
scheduled on January 10, 2010, at Yerevan electoral district N10. In
this electoral district, the mandate of a member of parliament
remained vacant after the elected member of parliament, my friend
Khachatur Sukiasyan, resigned from his mandates. I made this decision
to participate in the electoral process in order to keep my promise to
fight, by all means, for lawfulness and justice, for the democratic
right to formulate leadership, and for the dignity of people living
in Armenia.

"The coming election will give Armenian citizens the opportunity to
break the chain of connivance and violence surrounding them every
day, and I consider it my duty to realize that opportunity as a
political prisoner detained at the Yerevan-Centre penal institution
(KGB’s prison) and as a citizen of Armenia. I am taking this step
of nominating my candidacy for the memory of the innocent victims
of March 1, 2008 events, for the sake of the political prisoners
kept in dungeons of tyranny, for the sake of all the citizens whose
rights were violated and whose dignity was wounded by the outrage. I
am taking this step for the sake of our children, whom we promised
would live in a Free and Happy Armenia."

In his message, Pashinyan also greeted the parties included in the
Armenian National Congress, the leaders of those parties and the
Congress, expressed his gratitude to the party of "the Republic," its
political council, member of the political council Suren Surenyants,
who "found it possible to protect their principles and values by
supporting my candidacy."

"I believe in our victory not only in the January 10 election, but
also for the sake of the Constitution, in our fight for people’s
leadership. I am sure that the victory will become realized when
everyone dreaming of a Free, Strong and Happy Armenia, irrespective
of their political and civil position, in the name of victory, does
everything possible he can do," Pashinyan ended his address.