Hammarberg Tells Relatives of Armenia’s Political Prisoners: I Am Not the Almighty

At 8 pm yesterday evening, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg met with the relatives of political prisoners in Armenia in an hour-and-half-long meeting. The wives of Nikol Pashinyan, Aram Bareghamyan, and Sargis Hatspanyan; the sister of Sasun Mikaelyan; and the wife and son of Harutyun Urutyan participated in the meeting.

Speaking to Epress.am, Aram Bareghamyan’s wife, Garunik Soghomonyan, said they presented their demands to Hammarberg, which are, to release their loved ones as quickly as possible.

Hammarberg promised to address in his report the concerns which the family of political prisoners raised, they said.

“He said, we’re overestimating him and he is not the almighty: whatever he hears of, he promises to do. He said that he’ll present [our issues] in his report, but everything doesn’t depend only on him. We also reminded him that he has obligations related to Armenia, which have to be realized,” said Soghomonyan.

According to Harutyun Urutyan’s son, Galust Urutyan, during the meeting, Hammarberg said, if there’s time, he will meet with all political prisoners. He apologized in advance, in case he is unable to meet with them all.

“I and the relatives of the other political prisoners outlined in what a staged scenario they’re keeping political prisoners. I said, they imprisoned my father for 7 years on the basis of four police officers’ testimonies,” said Urutyan.

Asked whether they have any expectations from Hammarberg, both Soghomonyan and Urutyan said, though they have some hope, but, in the first place, their hope is their fight and the struggling people.

“Free speech must win. We have such a leader as [leader of the opposition bloc Armenian National Congress] Levon Ter-Petrossian, thanks to whose political foresight, the day will come when free speech will win. And let them not hope that we will lose our hope or we will be broken. I want to finish with my father’s words, who always directs us from there [prison]: We won’t be broken and we will win,” said Urutyan