HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMENIA: A 37TH FIDH CONGRESS APPEAL

Tert.am
15:36 ~U 06.04.10

At the Opening Ceremony of the 37th FIDH Congress, FIDH President
Souhayr Belhassen issued a call on behalf of the Congress for the
immediate liberation of all political prisoners in Armenia. FIDH also
reiterated its call for an independent and effective investigation
into the events of March 2008 and the disproportionate use of force
by the security services. FIDH further expressed concerns about the
electoral process and obstacles to freedom of the media.

"We have expressed these concerns repeatedly over the last months
to the Armenian authorities at the highest levels – and this morning
once again in person to the President of the Republic, as we promised
to the families of victims and political prisoners with whom we met
yesterday," declared Souhayr Belhassen.

"All these issues are of utmost concern to the FIDH Congress, which
today launches a solemn appeal to the authorities. We hope that
we will receive concrete responses to all of our concerns. We will
persist until we obtain them," she added.

"The release of all political prisoners and holding to account those
responsible for the ten deaths of March 1 are two of the essential
conditions for the effectiveness of the justice system in Armenia,"
concluded Artak Kirakosyan, representative of FIDH’s Armenian
member-organization, the Civil Society Institute.