PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
4 March 2008
Statement of Heritage’s Parliamentary Group
The Heritage party’s parliamentary group harshly condemns the improper
and impermissible use of excessive force against the peaceful
demonstrators, both in the early morning of March 1 at Liberty Square
and throughout the evening of the same day and early hours of March 2
in downtown Yerevan. In actual fact, these actions have begotten
numerous casualties and given cause for even more violations.
Furthermore, in direct breach of Armenia’s commitments to the Council
of Europe and the provisions of the European Convention on Human
Rights–including the terms stipulated in Section 15–the incumbent
president declared on March 1 a state of emergency in Yerevan.
During the special session of the National Assembly, which lasted from
the late night of the same day to the early hours of March 2, Heritage
MPs argued that the aforesaid declaration would escalate the tensions
between the authorities and the opposition, and would serve only to
agitate the national problem. The blockade placed against political
parties, social associations, and the media, in particular, have
drastically curtailed political and civil rights and freedoms. The
members of Heritage’s parliamentary group also emphasize the necessity
to take political steps toward resolving the situation, to end the
bloodshed and violations, to investigate the crimes, and to bring the
perpetrators to justice.
But during today’s special session the attorney general’s formal
petition to take away the parliamentary immunity of our four
colleagues and to launch a criminal investigation against them shows
that we do not comprehend the gravity of this situation. This new
measure taken by the authorities will no doubt destabilize the
situation even further.
We believe that the preliminary investigation launched against those
men is nothing but political vengeance and, among many dignitaries,
the Council of Europe’s secretary general Terry Davis has made an
appeal to the authorities to refrain from such reprisals. In the past
two days, we have attempted to ascertain the whereabouts of, and to
converse with, our four associates and many other detainees. Our
attempts have been consistently hampered.
We declare that the preliminary investigation is biased, unfair, and
unlawful. This is also demonstrated by the fact that the legal
defenders of many of the accused were not allowed to see their
clients. We are also deeply concerned with the physical and mental
condition of those who have been arrested, especially since a number
of them were subjected to various types of abuse. In our view, the
revocation of the parliamentary immunity of our four coworkers and the
carrying out of political vengeance against them constitute an open
defiance to the honor and integrity of this country, its people, and
the international community.
We call upon all our colleagues in the National Assembly to refrain
>From deepening the divide between the frustrated Armenian people and
the authorities, and to say no to this petition, which will bring
about unforeseeable catastrophic consequences. It is impermissible for
us, the legislative branch of the Armenian government, to exempt our
country and ourselves from international law and our own commitments
to it. The wild passion, which has possessed certain bodies of power,
to claim itself the victor in this situation at all costs is likewise
impermissible. We encourage Armenia’s attorney general to consider the
perilous nature of his petition and to withdraw it immediately. If
approved, this petition will have a boomerang effect and none of the
parliament members sitting here today will be able to defend himself
>From this boomerang’s return hit. The civic patience will have funally
run out.
Dear colleagues, at this crucial moment for our nation, we ask you
with all our heart, mind, and conscience to not play a part in the
irreversible deepening of our people’s final abyss.
Yerevan
March 4, 2008
Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land.
Its central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10)
532.697, email at [email protected] or [email protected], and website
at