PRISON BETTER SCHOOL THAN CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY – ARAM MUGHALYAN
20:50 ~U 16.10.13
In an interview with Tert.am Cambridge University graduate Aram
Mughalyan, who was sentenced to a 2.5-year-long prison term, but
has been released under the recently declared amnesty on Tuesday,
tells about the lessons he has learned in prison and his plans.
Asked if he feels sorry about returning to Armenia, Mr Mughalyan said:
“No, I do not, but I am trying to draw lessons for the future. In my
country I have been treated badly, but I am not getting angry with my
country. I am ready to do good to my country in waging the struggle
that I began in prison in the form of hunger-strike and refusal to
drink. Public opinion is of high importance for me, and the general
public considered the court verdict absurd.”
With respect to the impact the court verdict may have on his career,
he said that he, as well as the other convicts (Robert Piloyan,
Gagik Arakelyan and Artur Klyan), intends to appeal the verdict and
is ready to go as far as the European Court.
As to the reasons for his prosecution, Mr Mughalyan said that it was
a “snowball effect” – detention, arrest, a charge of hooliganism,
and so on.
“They do not care. All of us have received higher education and have
never been involved in any crimes,” he said.
“I have met any kind of people in prison. Some of them do not regret,
but others got inadequate prison terms for their crimes. Many people
were ‘brought’ there [penitentiary institutions] like me. As to me,
I have never betrayed my principles. I decided to get out of there
in triumph. You can learn lessons everywhere. In prison I learned
lessons that I did not learn at Cambridge.
“The most important thing is to remain strong. Once you give in, you
can by no means regain you foothold. For example, if we had pleaded
guilty, the Prosecution would not have any problems. After you learn
prison lessons you do not fear any more. And I am so strong now that
I have nothing to fear.”
Armenian News – Tert.am