EDUARD SHARMAZANOV: IT IS NO USE SPEAKING ABOUT AMNESTY UNTIL TRIAL ON "CASE OF SEVEN" FINISHES
NOYAN TAPAN
Dec 23, 2008
YEREVAN
PACE Monitoring Committee’s proposal to deprive Armenia’s delegation
of the vote, naturally, is not favorable, but such proposals often
fail to be fulfilled in PACE. Eduard Sharmazanov, the Spokesperson
of the Republican Party of Armenia, expressed such an opinion at
the December 22 press conference. According to him, the prospect
that Armenia will be finally deprived of the vote is very vague. "If
European structures indeed wish to assist us in building democracy,
they should not use sanctions," E. Sharmazanov said.
Touching upon the issue of releasing the political prisoners, the
RPA Spokesperson said that it is no use speaking about amnesty until
the trial on the "case of the seven" finishes. "It is a fact that
there are problems regarding human rights and democracy in Armenia,
but problems emerge in any state after an attempt of a coup,"
E. Sharmazanov stated. He reminded President Serzh Sargsyan’s words
that there should not be people persecuted for their political views
in Armenia. Meanwhile E. Sharmazanov stated that if the activists
imprisoned on the March 1 case are released at present, the authorities
cannot have guarantees that the defeated side will not try to achieve
a result by inciting clashes in the next elections.
Commenting upon RPA Vice-Chairman Galust Sahakian’s statement that
if Europe pushes away Armenia, the Armenians will start to cooperate
with "Muslim structures," E. Sharmazanov said that it is a private
opinion. According to him, RPA’s official position is that Armenia
should continue its European integration way.