FATE OF 85 PEOPLE DEPENDS ON REVISION OF LAWS
A1+
[04:26 pm] 03 February, 2009
Nearly 85 people have been deprived of their liberty in the wake of
the events of 2008 March 1-2 based on articles 225 and 300 of the RA
Criminal Code. They are the articles that the PACE demands revising
in its Resolution 1643 approved on January 27 and the NA Chairman
has promised to revise them as soon as possible.
"The Assembly notes that according to the Constitution of Armenia,
any positive change in the law will have a retrospective force against
the charges against the people who were deprived of their liberty in
relation to the events of 2008 March 1-2," as stated in the resolution.
"If articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code are not considered
criminal, regardless of the verdict or whether it has gone into effect,
the verdicts must be reviewed, the people must stop being persecuted
and the cases must be quashed. As for changes, that will depend on
what kind of changes," told "A1+" advocate Lusine Sahakyan.
"A1+" tried to find out from the RA Prosecutor General’s office how
many people were charged with articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal
Code. The number of people charged with article 300 is clear-the
seven citizens on trial for the "Case of Seven" and another seven
whose cases have been quashed.
The last seven include leader of the "Republic" party Aram Sargsyan,
head of the Armenian National Movement Ararat Zurabyan, former NA
Vice Chairman Karapet Rubinyan, former head of the National Security
Service Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former Deputy Prosecutor General Gagik
Jhangiryan, former head of the penitentiary department Mushegh
Saghatelyan and more.
As for article 225, there are already verdicts reached for many
cases. According to data provided by the RA Prosecutor General’s
office, 70 cases have entered the court based on article 225, but
there are cases that have been modified.
Twenty three people have already been acknowledged guilty for
different parts of article 225, while the case of seven people
remains in court. The leaders of the opposition on trial for the
"Case of Seven" are not included.
Let us note that the majority of those who are recognized as guilty
based on article 225 have been released and the penalties start from
one to 6.5 years