Published since 07.2002
Published on July 18, 2008
PRESSING FOR RELEASE: ATTENTION TURNS TO IMPRISONED EDITOR AS OPPOSITION CONTINUES CALL FOR RELEASE OF PRISONERS
- With international structures making efforts to bring the two opposing political camps in Armenia back to the “political path”, among a number of other main issues the opposition continues to demand the release of political prisoners, among them also considering editor-in-chief of the pro-opposition Zhamanak Yerevan daily jailed in 2006. Arman Babajanyan, who turned 32 in prison on July 15, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on June 26, 2006 for forging documents and draft dodging. But a number of prestigious international organizations as well as local NGOs and opposition members insist that Babajanyan’s arrest and subsequent imprisonment was a retribution for his newspaper’s opposition stance. “My arrest and imprisonment pursue solely one goal – to silence another independent and uncorrupt medium seeking the retirement of the illegitimate regime and establishment of lawful authorities in Armenia,” Babajanyan, whose newspaper is distinguished by articles critical of the government, said immediately after being convicted and sent to prison. Babajanyan said that proposals had been made to him as a result of ‘negotiations’ which he had rejected point-blank as if he accepted those he was not only to leave Armenia, but also close the newspaper and its website (www.zhamanak.com) ahead of such important events as the parliamentary and presidential elections in the country. Rejecting ‘negotiations’, at the same time the young editor described his treatment by the authorities as “discriminative”, considering the law “On Military Obligation” adopted in 2003 under which 2,057 draft dodgers were enabled to avoid criminal prosecution and he was not. “I am not that naïve. I understand that serious political processes are taking place in the country and my imprisonment and political persecution against me contain elements of scaring others,” Babajanyan said in a recent interview with RFE/RL. While disregarding “elements of fear” oppositionists and the daily’s staff were holding another rally in support of Babajanyan on his birthday, Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan stated his unequivocally position for Babajanyan “to be freed.” Ahead of the meeting of the parole committee expected soon, which is going to discus Babajanyan’s early release, the ombudsman issued a statement in connection with the case on July 15. “Considering the fact that Arman Babajanyan has no previous conviction, no civil action had been brought against him, as well as considering the public importance of the matter and the recent statements by leading international human-rights and media organizations, I consider Babajanyan’s release on parole to be advisable,” the ombudsman said in his statement. Meanwhile, opposition member Suren Surenyants, who believes that Babajanyan’s case is based on political motives, is pessimistic about the possibility of his early release. “I don’t believe that the commission will make a reasonable and sensible decision at the third time of asking,” Surenyants said. “Because the commission directly executes the order from the presidential palace. Of course, the ombudsman’s statement is laudable, but I think that it should not have taken two years for any government body to understand what international structures understood two years ago.” While the authorities are giving assurances that there are no political prisoners in Armenia, international structures in the past two years at least several times drew their attention specifically to Babajanyan’s case. Babajanyan’s case has been recognized by Human Rights Watch in its 2007 and 2008 World Reports, by other major international human rights groups, and by the U.S. State Department, as reflected in its Human Rights Report for Armenia for 2007. On July 4, Executive Director of the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) division of Human Rights Watch, Holly Cartner sent a letter to Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan that said: “We are writing to encourage you to ensure the release of the well-known journalist and editor Arman Babajanyan from prison based on his pending request for parole.” “Babajanyan, given his good conduct, is now eligible for parole. His request last year for parole based on good conduct was denied. We consider the additional 1.5 years that he has yet to serve is disproportionate to the offense, and call on you to review his case and grant him early release,” Cartner said. “Babajanyan’s release would send a positive signal to both Armenia’s international partners and to the Armenian public that you and other senior officials are concerned about the present critical state of human rights in Armenia and taking concrete steps to address particular concerns.” As was expected, on Friday the independent parole commission turned down the petition of the “Prisoners’ Hospital” penitentiary establishment for Babajanyan to be granted early release from prison.
- Marianna Grigoryan
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Today in Armenian history- 1894 Birth of Vahan Totovents (writer). He was murdered by the Soviet Secret Police in 1937.
- 1914 The Central Committees of Taron and Sassoon present the reform program to three embassies in Constantinople.
- 1938 Birth of Perch Zeytuntsyan (playwright) in Cairo (Egypt).
- 1988 The USSR Supreme Soviet, relies on Article 78 of the Soviet Constitution (prohibition of any territorial changes to a Union Republic without its consent) to deny the 1988 02 20 petition by the Autonomous Region of Nagorno Gharabagh to rejoin Armenia.
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