LAWYERS OF VAHAGN CHAKHALIAN INTEND TO APPEAL TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 5, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The lawyers of Vahagn Chakhalian – a
Javakheti Armenian political activist sentenced by Georgian authorities
to 10 years’ imprisonment for his political views – intend to appeal
against his sentence to the European Court of Human Rights.

Coordinator of Yerkir NGO Robert Tatoyan announced this at the February
4 press conference, adding that they have no expectation from the
Georgian justice. In his words, if this issue receives publicity in
Europe, no doubt the European Court of Human Rights will decide for
V. Chakhalian.

Lawyer Stepan Oskanian pointed out the unbearable conditions in the
prison where V. Chakhalian is kept: in particular, the inmates is
deprived of the opportunity to get any information and are isolated
from the outside world, even their lawyers cannot see them.

To recap, on 21 July 2008 V. Chakhalian was arrested and a year later
a first instance court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment.