Sargsyan’s General Amnesty Move was Quite Late, Believes Former Supreme Council Member

Despite National Assembly Chair Hovik Abrahamyan’s opinion that the general amnesty proposed by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was a move made at the “right time,” former member of the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, principal of the Mkhitar Sebastatsi educational complex Ashot Bleyan believes that the amnesty is, in fact, “quite late,” reports local daily Aravot (“Morning”).

“In any case, speaking to Aravot yesterday, Bleyan considered it ‘good’ that this move was finally made and added, ‘That already is a result. Injustice, imprisonment in Armenia decreased a little and that can’t not have an impact on the public. Those who were clearly illegally convicted will be free, with us, with their families.’

“One thing is clear to Bleyan, or rather, he wants to believe that from now on, violence and the violation and disregard of basic human rights and freedoms will be a thing of the past. It was around this, according to our interlocutor, that an agreement should have been made, so that it will be possible to raise and resolve issues. ‘This doesn’t mean abandoning problems. The method of resolving [them] changes, which the political opposition and authorities with their example will oblige the public and each citizen of the Republic of Armenia. The most important thing for me is that the public and the individual — the public with all its agencies — will overcome this irresponsible situation of impunity; it will overcome this present without a future’,” reports Aravot.