PRESS RELEASE
YERKIR UNION
EUrope
Mail: contact@yerkir.eu
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ARMENIA
Contact: Robert Tatoyan
Mobile: +374 94 36 17 93
Email: rob@yerkir.org
Web:

January 25, 2010

The Georgian authorities initiate new trials against Javakheti political
activists

The Georgian authorities have initiated new legal proceedings against
the Javakheti political activists Gurgen Shirinyan and Aram Batoyan.
Thus, in October 2009 the Akhalkalaki district court, carring out the
trial in absentia sentenced Gurgen Shirinyan to three years’
imprisonment on charges of hooliganism against the members of the
Georgian military police in March 2005. This new sentence was added to
an already existing sentence of 17 years’ imprisonment that was
adopted in respect of the Javakheti activist by Akhaltskha District
Court in December 2008 also in absentia.

Currently Akhalkalaki District Court holds proccedings in abcentia on
the case of the Javakheti political activist Aram Batoyan, manager of
Javakhk Sports and Culture Union’s Center (organization, led by
Vahagn Chakhalyan). He is charged by the Georgian authorities with
possession of weapons allegedly found during the search of the building
of the Center on July 21, 2008.

`Yerkir’ Union is strongly convinced that by these new
trials in absentia over the Javakheti political activists, the Georgian
authorities pursue the objective of strengthening the regime of state
terror in the region, and furthering the feelings of fear among the
Javakheti Armenians.

Given the above, `Yerkir’ Union demands from the
Georgian authorities:

1. To immediately conduct a new impartial investigation into the events
of July 17=80=9021, 2008 in Akhalkalaki;

2. To revise all the sentences in respect of the Javakheti political
activists and the members of their families;

3. To stop all the police repressions and political persecutions against
the Javakheti political activists.

`Yerkir’ Union calls on the international organizations
and accredited diplomatic missions in Georgia to draw close attention to
the situation in Javakheti, to step up pressure on the Georgian
authorities to put an end to the repression inflicted on the Armenians
in the region.

yerkir Union
Contact Europe: contact@yerkir.eu
Contact Arménie: Robert Tatoyan: + 374 (0) 94 36 17 93 –
<mailto:rob@yerkir.org> rob@yerkir.org