ARMENIA: PACE RAPPORTEUR CONCERNED ABOUT LIFTING OF THE PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY ON CONTROVERSIAL CRIMINAL CHARGES OF FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OSKANIAN
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
Oct 11 2012
STRASBOURG, France
The following information was released by the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE):
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteur for the
monitoring of Armenia, Axel Fischer (Germany EPP/CD), today expressed
his concern about the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of former
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, on controversial criminal charges,
by the National Assembly.
This is especially worrying in the light of persistent allegations
that political motives have played a role in the charges that are
levied against him, emphasised Mr Fischer.
If substantiated, these allegations would mean a step backwards from
the positive trend with regard to political normalisation that we have
witnessed over the last year and a half. I have therefore written
to the Speaker of the National Assembly asking him to clarify the
charges, as well as the basis on which the parliament agreed to lift
Mr Oskanians immunity, the rapporteur concluded.