ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ACTIVIST POLITICAL PRISONER – HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

18:12 30.07.13

The human rights activist Artak Zeinalyan believes that Tigran
Arakelyan, an active member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
party, who has been under arrest for two years, is a political
prisoner.

Judging by the 2-year-long trial, Zeinalyan believes that Arakelyan
may be granted an early release, but he will not be acquitted of
the charges.

“Tigran Arakelyan is a political prisoner. The former administrative
arrest, which had been practiced before Armenia’s Constitution was
amended in 2005, has been replaced with sentencing on this count. The
authorities have not changed their behavior. Yes, Tigran Arakelyan
was convicted for his political views,” Zeinalyan said.

“As long as I have followed the political process, my conviction
is that the policemen have failed to prove their demand was legal,”
Zeinalyan said.

As regards the other activists, the lawyer Stepan Voskanyan told
Tert.am that the Court of Appeals will start hearing the case on Aug.

5.

“Much has been said about the details of the case, but political
implications are obvious. I think the Court of Appeals will settle all
the issues. We hope the Court of Appeals will not commit a violation
as it did last time,” he said.

As to the international response, he said: “I cannot say if it will
cause the sentence to be mitigated. But we can prove to both local
and European organizations that we are honoring all the commitments,”
Voskanyan said.

He hopes that the Court of Appeals will properly evaluate the evidence
obtained over the past two years.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress