ARMENIA: LIFE WITHOUT HOPE
By Karine Asatrian in Nubarashen
A1+
[05:44 pm] 25 September, 2006
After the abolition of the death penalty, Armenian lifers say they
still face a bleak future.
Twenty-five-year-old Tsolak Melkonian was sentenced to death six
years ago for a murder he committed when he was doing his military
service. Then his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment under
a presidential decree.
But Melkonian is depressed by the sentence that lies before him. “Life
imprisonment is tougher than what I should be getting,” he said. “If
there’s no death penalty, I should get 15 years. If they don’t review
my sentence, I am ready to mount a hunger-strike.”
Melkonian has already been through several hunger-strikes after
demanding that the courts review his sentence. Shortly after he
committed the murder, he tried to shoot himself in the heart but
survived.
In prison, he has married Lyuda Marutian, an eye specialist who
visited him when he had problems with his vision.
IWPR met Melkonian, a tall thin young man, in the meeting room of
Nubarashen prison, where his wife and grandmother had come to see
him. The new prison governor recently gave inmates the right to three
visits a year.
The meeting room had a divan, two armchairs, a small desk and a
television. Melkonian talked to his grandmother while his wife
made coffee.
“Life imprisonment is too harsh a punishment for a crime committed
by a 19-year-old for which he has repented,” said Marutian.
Nubarashen prison is on the outskirts of the Armenian capital
Yerevan. Journalists are only allowed to visit it with the permission
of the justice ministry.
The round building can be seen from a long way off, but if you did
not know, you would not realise it was a prison. There is no fence
or barbed wire surrounding it, and no observation towers. All the
checks on visitors take place inside.
Armenia currently has 71 prisoners serving life sentences, of whom 55
are in Nubarashen. The lifers live on the fifth floor along a long,
narrow and dimly-lit corridor. There are three or four prisoners to
a cell.
No one has been executed in Armenia since 1991, but the death penalty
was only formally abolished in 2003, two years after Armenia joined
the Council of Europe, for which this is a condition of membership. The
president commuted 42 death sentences.
Many of the lifers, supported by human rights defenders, were unhappy
about their new sentences, saying they were left with no hope for
the future.
They pointed out that under the old criminal code under which they
were charged, their sentences should have been reduced to prison
terms of between 15 and 20 years, not life.
“A fixed term of life imprisonment is more severe than 15 to 20 years,”
said Avetik Ishkhanian, head of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia. “A
toughening of the law should not be retroactive.”
Armenia’s recently appointed human rights ombudsman Armen Harutunian
disagrees, saying abolition of the death penalty is a big step
forward. “[Life imprisonment] really is more humane,” he said. “To
be honest, we have not found any infringement of human rights here.”
However, many prisoners disagree, saying that even the improved prison
conditions they live in are hard to endure.
“I think that life imprisonment is a harsher punishment than the
death penalty,” said 38-year-old Manuk Semerjian, who has spent 15
years in Nubarashen.
“People are amazed at how I managed to survive and not die,” said
Semerjian of his time in prison in the Nineties. “In those years,
nothing was allowed in the cell – no parcels, no meetings. We got
repulsive meals. And twice a day they beat us up.”
Semerjian said things began to improve only in 2001, when the
justice ministry took over the prison. That year, Semerjian said,
the beatings stopped.
Nikolai Arustamian, head of the justice ministry’s penal reform
department, cited many improvements that had taken place in the last
five years. He said living conditions had been improved, and the
cells refurbished and provided with televisions.
The prison governor Aram Sargsian, appointed in 2005, says that he
has ensured that conditions are now much better. He said two choices
faced him as head of the jail, “To treat the prisoners like animals,
enrage them and try to restrain them by force, or to create a peaceful
moral and psychological atmosphere, a manageable situation and to
guarantee safety. We chose the second path.”
Sargsian said the way inmates were treated depended on what category
they were placed in – “especially dangerous”, “dangerous” and “less
dangerous”. They are categorised not by their crime but according to
their behaviour in prison.
Many lifers, especially those who fall into the most extreme category,
still appear desperate. They are not allowed to walk in the open air,
and their cells only have high barred windows.
Prominent Armenian human rights activist Mikael Danielian said he
had no evidence of torture being practiced in prisons, but the living
conditions there were “inhuman” and well short of European standards.
At dawn on July 23 this year, four prisoners tried to escape after
sawing through a metal door lock and bolts with a razor. When warders
blocked their way, three of them tried to slash their wrists. Armenian
newspapers reported that they tried to harm themselves because they
were afraid of being beaten.
Conditions are better for those in the “less dangerous” category. They
include Edik Grigorian, Derenik Bejanian and Ashot Knyazian, all
serving life sentences for the most notorious crime in Armenia in
recent years, the shooting of eight prominent politicians inside
parliament in October 1999.
The three men have a fridge, a table and chairs, and two
televisions. They offered this correspondent a cup of hot chocolate
to drink.
One of the three, Knyasian, expressed a common fear among the lifers,
that even if a court orders their release after 20 years, as the
criminal code allows, their lives will effectively be over.
Another lifer, Ashot Manukian, said, “I’ve been in jail since I
was 19. If I get out, I’ll be 39. What can I study, what can I do,
what’s the point? Will I be born again?”
According to human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanian, a change in
the constitution last year means that citizens now have the right to
protest against presidential decrees in the constitutional court.
At the moment, the lifers have more modest hopes – being allowed
to step out of their cells, walk in the courtyard and talk to their
fellow inmates.

“GREEN LIGHT TO THOSE WHO OPPRESS FREEDOM OF SPEECH”
A1+
[06:10 pm] 25 September, 2006
“They have given a green light to those who oppress freedom of speech”,
said David Sandukhchyan, lawyer of NGO “Internews” on the basis of
the investigations carried out by their organization. According to
him, during the previous years there was only one example to scare
the journalists – the fact of banning “A1+” from air. And now there
are numerous examples.
There have been 12 cases of hindering the professional activity of the
journalists in late 2005 and early 2006. It is three times more than
in 2004. By the way, the law enforcers did not try to find and punish
those who are guilty. Moreover, the Mass Media themselves did not turn
to the police. According to David Sandukhchyan, it is accounted for
by the fact that “the Mass Media greatly depend upon the authorities”.
According to Avetiq Ishkhanyan, head of the Armenian Helsinki
Committee, the authorities accept the majority of the journalists as
enemies. A manifestation of the discrimination was that in connection
with the 15th anniversary of Independence Robert Kocharyan awarded
medals only to several representatives of pro-governmental Mass Media.
According to Ishkhanyan, it is meaningless to expect the authorities to
demonstrate strong will when it comes to the defense of human rights,
as “If they had political will, they would resign, but will they?”.
According to him, the only way to have success in this field is to
activate the society.

ANTI-CRIMINALS GIVE NAMES
A1+
[06:56 pm] 25 September, 2006
Today, in answer to the announcement of the Prime Minister (“If they
know everything, why don’t they give names?”), the representatives
of the parties which are members of the anti-criminal movement made
public the first names of criminal officials.
Leader of the party “New Times” Aram Karapetyan asked a question
about recent events, namely about the murder of Shahen Hovasapyan and
the person who has been arrested in connection with the case: Armen
Virabyan, a.k.a. Schwarz. “Isn’t Armen Virabyan the same Schwarz
who left for Moscow several years ago in order to terrorize Serge
Jilavyan? Didn’t the preliminary investigation find out that he is
the same person. I’m asking the RA Prime Minister and the Defense
Minister: how did a person like this manage to remain in his post
as such a high official? Isn’t this an obvious case of the close
interconnection of the authorities and the criminals?”
The next name made public by the anti-criminal movement was Hovik
Abrahamyan’s. Head of “Fatherland and honor” Garnik Margaryan
enumerated the property of the Minister of Territorial Administration:
“more than 50 establishments in Ararat region, more than 10 plants,
more than five car factories, more than 10 wine factories. Alongside
with this, Hovik Abrahamyan is stockholder of several privatized
enterprises like “Ararat-Cement”, and has privatized areas in Sevan
and Hanqavan. How does a person who was a car washerman in 1988 buy
all this? If he is fair, let them punish us; if he is not, let him
answer for his deeds”.
Member of the political council of the Republican party Souren
Abrahamyan brought another example, “If the Prime Minister wants names,
is there anything better than his own name? Let him open up the list
of the members of government and have a good look at it”.
Manouk Gasparyan announced that he can give a hundred names, but
his does not want to risk his life, “I name only two people – Robert
Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan.
If something happens to me, I want you to know that they have a finger
in it”.By the way, Manouk Gasparyan informed that in connection with
the 15th anniversary of Independence four officers got the rank of
General “and all the four of them are from Karabakh. What is this if
not criminal activity?” Manouk Gasparyan said and added that there
is serious discontent in the army in this respect.
It is noteworthy that representatives of the Orinats Yerkir party
Hovhannes Margaryan suggested that the opposition proclaim their
property so that there are no rumors about it. The offer was not
much welcomed.

TWO LAWS TO ELIMINATE FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE
A1+
[09:24 pm] 25 September, 2006
Tomorrow the NA special session will discuss two draft laws
regulating the Mass Media field which have been processed without the
participation of the concerned sides. Neither are the workers of the
field aware of the content of the laws.
According to specialists, there are a number of provisions in the
drafts about “Amendments to the RA Law on Television and Radio
and Amendments to the RA Regulations of the National Commission on
Television and Radio” which contradict the RA Constitution jeopardizing
freedom of speech. RA NA deputy, author of the present Law on
Television and Radio Shavarsh Kocharyan has also mentioned about it.
“This is a draft which is highly explosive and which will explode
immediately after it is adopted. On the one hand, the authors of
the amendments confirm the “innocence” of the TV channels they own
after which they eliminate the other channels; on the other hand they
privatize the TV and Radio sphere once and for all. From now on all
the outsiders will be excluded from the sphere.
For us, this is another anti-constitutional process which they must not
get away with. This is a peculiar imitation of independent television
and Mass Media; on the one hand private TV Companies (hand-picked
by them, of course) are given licenses, and on the other the whole
field is monopolized by the government.
All this will result in a terrible mess and anarchy inside the
system. This is a document which will become a way of sanction for the
whole TV-Radio field” said Mesrop Movsesyan, head of “A1+” TV Company,
about the new draft amendments.

1 INJURED, 6 CARS AND WATER PIPLINE DAMAGED IN A BLAST NEARBY NAIRIT
Panorama.am
13:16 25/09/06
An explosion was reported near Nairit, a giant rubber-producing factory
in Yerevan, on Saturday. The blast shocked the nearby communities
and caused considerable damage. Fortunately no human fatalities were
reported. One citizen has been injured, 6 cars have been damaged
and damage has been caused to the water pipelines and the sewage. A
criminal case has been instituted into the case.
Yerevan Rescue Services received an emergency call at about 7 p.m. on
Saturday saying something exploded near Noragavit graveyard. The
rescue team arrived and several top officials also hurried to the
place of the incident, among them Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan,
Minister of Regional Administration H. Abrahamyan.
Nature Protection Minister V. Aivazyan. Minister of Health N. Davidyan
and several others.
Initial reports said an underground explosion took place in Nairit
collector without outburst of fire.
The composition of the substance that caused the blast is under study
now.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAM FAILS TO SOLVE MANY PROBLEMS
Panorama.am
13:32 25/09/06
Three years after the poverty alleviation program is adopted and
implemented, social experts say that it fails to regulate many problems
in communities.
“Great many of people have stayed out of the process, institutions
stay behind of rapid developments and are partly unavailable for
people. Social aims have got less importance compared to financial
and economic aims. Many people still lack jobs, which will bring them
dignity. These programs must be brought down to community levels to
assure more sensitive social system,” Ashot Yesayan, an expert in
the field, said.
He also said many people in the communities do not know laws to protect
their rights. Yesayan pointed out to the need of consultation services.
Mission Armenia, a public organization, unveils the results
of its study saying 80-90 percent of problems are solved within
communities. “It is our responsibility to go to communities. The key
to challenges is there,” Yesayan said.

PARLIAMENTARY GROUP TAKES STEPS TO COMBAT ELECTION FRAUD
Panorama.am
15:14 25/09/06
“Supreme Council” parliamentary group has disseminated a statement
telling about its pre-election initiatives. The group, headed by Ruben
Torosyan, denounced both the opposition and the authorities saying,
“the opposition is busy with insignificant issues.” The statement
tells about steps taken by Supreme Council to contribute to elections.
Particularly, the group has submitted a case in the first instance
court with a charge against “idleness of the president.” The statement
says that the constitutional order was violated in the country with
Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan joining the Armenian Republican
Party (HHK). HHK’s activities must be banned, the initiators think,
and that should have been done by the Armenian president. However,
the latter failed to do so, the statement says.
The group has also applied to the Central Electoral Committee pointing
out that Armenian Revolutionary Federation has failed to register
with the State Registry before 2003 elections.
As another initiative, Supreme Council applied to the Russian Embassy
to Armenia saying that the Chairman of the Union of Armenians in Russia
“sets an example of violating the Armenian law to the foreigners.”
The group also sent a notification to the general prosecutor’s
office saying the office has failed to issue decisions on seven
member of Central Electoral Committee who have reportedly violated
the Election Law.
The initiators also address to the ambassadors accredited in Armenia
and heads of international organizations urging them to sign a
memorandum “on respect of the Armenian legislation during the upcoming
elections.” Torosyan and other initiators think that “some of them
and the observers of respective countries have violated the Armenian
legislations during the last elections and the Referendum having an
immediate impact on the results.”

ARMENIAN PRAPORSHCHIK KILLED IN A VIOLATED CEASEFIRE
Panorama.am
16:38 25/09/06
Violation of cease-fire by Azerbaijan was reported on Saturday
afternoon. Armenian defense ministry press services report that Garnik
Melyan, 42, was shot dead at Ijevan military unit. Melyan served at
the military unit as a praporshchik on contract basis.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION BLAMES TOP LEADERSHIP IN LINKS WITH CRIMINAL STRUCTURES
Panorama.am
17:56 25/09/06
A number of opposition parties of Armenia condemned today the top
leadership of the republic in criminalism. In the words of Garnik
Margaryan, leader of Motherland and Honor Party, the party has
established an anti-criminal initiative. “A document issued by our
party directly names supporters of criminalism in Armenia. On the
basis of facts, the name of Serzh Sargsyan was mentioned. However,
until now we have received no response,” Margaryan said.
Moreover, he said the people which the document blames in links with
criminalism, were awarded with state awards recently.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM TO KEEP AWAY FROM BOXING FOR SIX MONTHS
Armenpres
Sept 25 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS: Germany’s Armenian-born Arthur
Abraham who overcame a broken jaw Saturday to retain his IBF
middleweight title against Colombia’s Edison Miranda, will keep away
from the ring for six months, a time period which doctors say is
necessary to heal his broken jaw.
Abraham was awarded the winner after fighting from the fifth round
on spitting blood and unable to close his mouth. Abraham, 22-0 with
17 knockouts, pounded Miranda through the first four rounds, and won
with scores of 114-109, 115-109 and 116-109 from the three judges.
Miranda, 26-1 with 23 knockouts, apparently broke the Armenian-born
German’s jaw with a right late in the fourth round. The ring doctor
said he faced an operation. In the fifth round, Miranda intentionally
headbutted him and Abraham went over to the edge of the ring to let
blood pour out of his mouth.
After that his coach Ulli Wegner kept telling the 26-year-old Abraham
he had to hold out the whole 12 rounds or his title would be gone.