Armenian National Congress Recognizes Shant Harutyunyan and Friends as Political Prisoners

Yesterday, the Armenian National Congress (HAK) released a statement saying that on October 17, the Kentron and Nork-Marash Districts Court of General Jurisdiction’s Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan, ruled a blatantly unjust verdict toward Shant Harutyunyan and his friends.

“The baseless prolonged pre-detainment, which nearly lasted for one year, led to the citizens' long prison terms, which testifyies to the regime’s radical acts of revenge and the violations of basic moral and legal norms. It is not a coincidence that the unjust verdict was conducted by the same judge Martirosyan, who presided over the case of “The Seven” (Shant Harutyunyan was tried during this case) related to the March 1st event.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s “Definition of Political Prisoner” 1900 resolution’s 3rd point formulates the definition the criteria for a political prisoner. The aforementioned 12 citizens' cases fully comply with the criteria, in which an imprisoned person would be considered a political prisoner “if, for political motives, the length of the detention or its conditions are clearly out of proportion to the offence the person has been found guilty of or is suspected of,”said HAK’s statement.

Thus, “Armenian National Congress” recognizes Shant Harutyunyan, Vahe Mkrtchyan, Albert Margaryan, Sevak Mnatsakanyan, Vardan Vardanyan, Liparity Petrosyan, Avetis Avetisyan, Hayk Harutyunyan, Alek Poghosyan, Mkrtich Hovhannisyan, Armen Hovhannisyan, and Tigran Petrosyan as political prisoners and declares that HAK will use all their means both in Armenia and in the international arena with the intention for their speedy release.

“This will be one of the top issues in the process of regime change in Armenia,” concludes the party’s statement.

Shant Harutyunyan and his friends have been found guilty for acts of hooliganism during a November 5, 2013 protest. Both Albert Margaryan and Vahe Mkrtchyan were also found guilty for using violence against a representative of the authorities. 3 of them, Mkrtich Hovhannisyan, Albert Margaryan, Vahe Mkrtchyan are also accused of violence toward a representative of the authorities, which foresaw 5 to 10 years imprisonment. Hayk Harutyunyan is accused of hooliganism, unlawful possession of psychotropic substances without the purpose of sale. The prosecutor had demanded that defendant Vahe Mkrtchyan be sentenced to 8.5 years imprisonment, Albert Margaryan with 8 years, Vardan Vardanyan, Liparit Petrosyan, Avetis Avetisyan with 6.5 years, Alek Poghosyan and Hayk Harutyunyan with 6 years, Mkrtich Hovhannesyan 5.5 years, Misak Mnatsakanyan, Armen Hovhannisyan and Tigran Petrosyan with 4 years. Gevork Gevorkyan has motioned that Misak Arakelyan be fined 50,000 AMD.

The Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan officially sentenced Shant Harutyunyan to 6 years imprisonment, Albert Margaryan also received 6 years, Vahe Mkrtchyan 7 years, Liparit Poghosyan 5 years, Vardan Vardanyan 5 years, Hayk Harutyunyan 4 years 6 months, Alek Poghosyan 4 years, Mkrtich Hovhannisyan 4 years, Armen Hovhannisyan 2 years, Sevak Mnatsakanyan 1 years 6 months, Tigran Petrosyan 1 year, and Misak Arakellyan was fined fifty times the minimum salary.

The defendants do not admit their guilt, noting that there were provocateurs and plainclothes police officers incited the conflict during the rally. Several local human rights activists and international organizations consider the men political prisoners.