Visit Those Imprisoned in Connection with March 1, 2008: Armenian NGOs to CoE Secretary General

A number of representatives of local NGOs have written a letter to Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today to draw his attention to “a number of pressing human rights issues [in Armenia] which negatively affect the state of democracy in Armenia.”

The letter reads as follows:

“Despite the concrete demands articulated in resolutions 1609 (2008), 1622 (2008), 1643 (2009) and 1677 (2009) adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe following the crisis after the rigged presidential elections of February 2008, the Armenian authorities have failed to conduct an impartial and comprehensive investigation into the events of March 1st 2008 and release ‘persons deprived of their liberty on political grounds’. Those responsible for the killings of innocent civilians have not been called to account, and 13 of political prisoners still remain in prisons. 

“Taking into account the role of the Council of Europe in promoting human rights and democracy, and in the run-up to the Forum, which we view as an opportunity to advance and protect human rights in Armenia, we call upon you to urge the Armenian authorities to:

secure the immediate release of all political prisoners

ensure an independent and impartial investigation into the events of March 1st, 2008

“We would also like to urge you, as Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to pay visits to the persons imprisoned in connection with 2008 presidential elections. (Please find a list with the names of the political prisoners attached to this letter).

“Given your personal contribution to the causes of democracy and human rights, as well as the significance of your role within the Council of Europe, we are confident that your meetings with Armenian political prisoners will force the Armenian authorities to fulfill their obligations and release them as the PACE has required. 

“Yours sincerely,

Natalya Martirosyan, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Armenian Committee

Sona Ayvazyan, Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center

Melissa Brown, Shahkhatun-Political Prisoners’ Wives

Mikayel Danielyan, Armenian Helsinki Association

Arthur Sakunts, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office

Levon Barseghyan, Journalists Asparez Club

Vardan Harutyunyan, Center for Rights and Freedom

Nadezhda Hakobyan, Menq Plus NGO

Nouneh Dilanyan, Mijnaberd Cultural-Educational NGO

Karen Hakobyan, Hope NGO

Isabella Sargsyan, Youth for Democracy”