Epress.am News from Armenia
Fifty-three Canadian and US citizens, scientists, teachers, economists and professionals from other sectors, have issued a statement aimed at the Government of Armenia, joining others in Armenia who are requesting an end to the unlawfulness against imprisoned journalist, local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) chief editor Nikol Pashinyan and ensuring his safety in Kosh penitentiary where he is currently serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence.
The statement printed in today’s issue of Haykakan Jamanak reads as follows:
“We, Armenians living in the Diaspora and our non-Armenian friends, are deeply concerned with the incidents in prison regarding Haykakan Jamanak daily chief editor Nikol Pashinyan. It would seem that his presenting himself voluntarily to judicial bodies would be worthy of corresponding behavior by the RA authorities. However, not only did that not take place, but rather, in prison, he is being placed under constant pressure, creating waves in the Armenian community everywhere. We assert that the objectionable activities by the authorities to silence Nikol Pashinyan’s free speech and to punish him for his political views will have the direct opposite result, making Nikol Pashinyan’s voice heard more so both in the homeland and in the Diaspora. Being seriously concerned about his fate, we will follow closely the developments on this issue and we hope to see him released soon. Until then, we demand an end to all types of unlawful activities carried out against Nikol Pashinyan and to ensure his security.”
Note that Pashinyan, 35, 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.
The oppositionist will have to serve only half of the prison sentence because of a general amnesty declared by the authorities in June 2009. Both he and Ter-Petrossian’s Armenian National Congress consider the case politically motivated.