Epress.am News from Armenia
A number of NGOs in Armenia have expressed deep disappointment and uncertainty with the delay of the next visit of the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs to Yerevan.
The letter, addressed to a number of European and human rights organizations and their representatives, including the Council of Europe Secretary General, PACE Secretary General, PACE President, PACE Monitoring Committee Chair, PACE Monitoring Committee members, International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, reads in part:
“Although the RA authorities seriously violate their international obligations in the areas of democracy, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, specifically they continue to obviously ignore the main requirements of the last four resolutions on Armenia approved by PACE, the PACE Monitoring Committee continues to display unacceptable tenderness for the RA authorities.”
The organizations point out that by tolerating the RA government’s denial of the request for a visit by the co-rapporteurs, which is conditioned solely by the Armenian authorities’ desire to once again avoid responsibility for the crimes committed since the 2008 presidential elections, the Monitoring Committee basically becomes a toy in the hands of the Armenian government and contributes to deepening their impunity.
“The discussions at the last PACE session regarding the co-rapporteurs’ visit to Armenia and the reasons for postponing the visit make us doubt the significance of the Monitoring procedure and the Committee’s impartiality,” they write in the letter.
Considering unacceptable the RA government’s efforts to personify the monitoring process, the NGOs once again call on the PACE Monitoring Committee not to succumb to pressure by the Armenian authorities, to put forth a request to immediately carry out the co-rapporteurs’ visit and to carry out that request.
The letter was signed by the following NGOs operating in Armenia:
Armenian National Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly
Asparez Journalists’ Club
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office
Menq Plus NGO
The Center for Rights and Freedom
Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center
Youth for Democracy NGO
Shahkhatun NGO of Political Prisoners’ Wives