Epress.am News from Armenia
First president of the Republic of Armenia, leader of the opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress today had a one-hour meeting with imprisoned journalist, chief editor of the local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) Nikol Pashinyan at Artik penitentiary where the latter is currently being held.
Ter-Petrossian yesterday paid a visit to the prisoners’ hospital where he had a one-hour meeting with imprisoned oppositionist Sasun Mikaelyan.
Note, Nikol Pashinyan, was among several prominent opposition figures who went into hiding in March 2008 following a government crackdown on supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian demanding a re-run of a disputed presidential election.
He surrendered to the authorities in July 2009 and was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of stirring up “mass disturbances” in Yerevan that left ten people dead. Sasun Mikaelyan was likewise imprisoned for a possible connection to the events of March 2008. The Armenian National Congress considers the case politically motivated and refers to both men as political prisoners.