A1 Plus | 15:09:09 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

RALLY IN LOS ANGELES ON APRIL 15

The ruling body of Hnchakyan Social and Democratic Party in Western America
appeared with a statement, condemning violence committed by orders of
illegal Authorities towards April 13 meeting participants.

The statement authors expressed their demands: To cease pursuing Opposition
figures and MPs, to allow people to implement their Constitutional right for
holding peaceful demonstrations, to stop assaulting press representatives
and to remove the obstacles on the way of free activity of local and foreign
TV Companies.

In that connection Hnchakyan Party calls upon the California residents to
assemble on April 15 before Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles and to voice
their support to the population of Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Spokesperson and Press Division
Ref: 189a04
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

Secretary General warns of anti-democratic decline in Armenia and appeals
for dialogue

Strasbourg, 14.04.2004 – Following a meeting with the Permanent
Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe yesterday evening,
Secretary General Walter Schwimmer expressed his concern about reported
violence in Armenia.

“There is incomplete and conflicting news of excessive use of force by the
police, of arrests – including of members of parliament – and of a media
blackout”, said Walter Schwimmer. “This confirms one thing: if there was
complete freedom of the media, we would have a clear picture of the
situation”, he added.

Recalling the strong position taken by the Parliamentary Assembly against
the use of arbitrary procedures for detention, as foreseen in the
Administrative Code, the Secretary General said that such detentions would
not be acceptable.

The Secretary General of the 45-member human rights organisation warned
against an anti-democratic decline in Armenia. “In a democracy, people are
free to gather and express their views – even if they are critical of the
President or of the government”, said Mr Schwimmer. “I call on the Armenian
authorities to guarantee all human rights which are protected under the
European Convention on Human Rights”.

“Today’s problems are partly caused by the lack of modern legislation, which
it would be possible to introduce before changing the Constitution. For this
and for other reasons, Armenia has already lost precious time for reform”,
he continued.

“I appeal to all political forces to refrain from violence, to resume
dialogue and to focus on democratic reform”, the Secretary General
concluded.

To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact :
[email protected]

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common
responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 45 member states.

A1 Plus | 16:28:01 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

OPPOSITION FIGURES MUST BE RELEASED

“Tension must lessen and the arrested people and Opposition representatives
must be set free”, USA Ambassador John Ordway said over the recent events
during the joint press conference with Armenian Defense Minister Serj
Sargssyan.

“I think the emotions must now relax. A political dialogue must be launched,
aimed at solution of political and economic problems in Armenia. Both parts
must promise to apply only political methods during the political strife”,
Ambassador said.

A1 Plus | 16:10:58 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

BAGHRAMYAN AVENUE IS NOT THE PLACE TO DANCE

“I think Office of Prosecutor has the power to appraise the Police actions.
And the appraisal was voiced yesterday”, Armenian Defense Minister Serj
Sargssyan said referring to the events on April 13 night during the joint
press conference with USA Ambassador in Armenia John Ordway in Talin in
connection with opening of the hospital reconstructed by finance of USA
Government.

“Policemen had to protect the social order and they did it. I don’t think it
is right to disturb the vital functions of a big city through 2000 or 4000
people. I don’t consider Baghramyan Avenue to be the place to dance. People
didn’t have to attack policemen with stones or bottles”, Minister commented.

A1 Plus | 16:58:30 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTING UPON BEATING JOURNALISTS

“If someone possesses a camera or a dictaphone, it doesn’t mean that he or
she is a journalist. I think journalists especially during such measures
must produce something to prove them to be journalists”, Armenian Defense
Minister Serj Sargssyan said referring to the assaults to journalists during
the recent events.

“I don’t want to justify anyone. But if the law machinery demands to respect
law, everybody must obey it”, Minister explained.

“I consider it is bad to beat in general. It is not strange to me that
journalists react to beating more morbidly if it happens to any of them. It
is beyond my commission to call what happened on Baghramyan Avenue as
“beating”, and I think law enforcement bodies are to engage in it”, Minister
added.

Peter Schieder asks Armenian parliamentary speaker for information on
recent events

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder
today wrote to the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Arthur
Baghdasaryan, asking for detailed information on recent events in
Armenia , including the disruption of a regular session of parliament.

In his letter he expressed great concern over arrests of opposition
leaders and people attending opposition rallies, as well as over
alleged ill-treatment of the media.

” Armenia has recently made considerable efforts to honour the
obligations and commitments it undertook on joining the Council of
Europe. But you are also aware of our concerns about the remaining
shortcomings and the Assembly’s decision in January this year not to
end the current monitoring procedure until further progress has been
made in this respect,” Peter Schieder says in his letter.

Resolution

ptedText/ta04/ERES1361.htm
1361 (2004): Honouring of obligations and commitments by Armenia

Peter Schieder demande des informations au Président du Parlement
arménien sur les récents événements

Peter Schieder, Président de l’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de
l’Europe, a écrit aujourd’hui à Arthur Bagdassarian, Président du
Parlement arménien, pour lui demander des précisions sur les
événements qui se sont produits récemment en Arménie, y compris
l’interruption d’une session ordinaire du Parlement.

Dans sa lettre, M. Schieder se déclare très préoccupé par
l’arrestation de dirigeants de l’opposition et de participants à des
réunions de l’opposition, ainsi que par le mauvais traitement qui
serait réservé aux médias.

« L’Arménie a fait récemment des efforts considérables pour respecter
les obligations et engagements contractés lors de son adhésion au
Conseil de l’Europe. Cependant, compte tenu des tâches qui attendent
encore l’Arménie, l’Assemblée a décidé, en janvier de cette année, de
ne pas mettre fin à la procédure de suivi tant que des progrès
supplémentaires n’auront pas été enregistrés », M. Schieder écrit dans
sa lettre.

Résolution

1361 (2004) : Respect des obligations et engagements de l’Arménie

A1 Plus | 17:39:32 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

THOSE BEATING JOURNALISTS MUST BE PUNISHED

“Office of General Prosecutor must do its best to call the people who did
violence to account”, USA Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway said over
beating journalists.

“I am sure journalists have the right to obtain information. We all know
that it is sometimes dangerous to be a journalist. But Police must protect
journalists when some criminal elements commit violence towards them”,
Ambassador stated.

A1 Plus | 18:29:42 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

MP ALEXAN KARAPETYAN TALKING ABOUT THE RECENT EVENTS

According to Opposition representatives, Robert Kocharyan and Serj Sargssyan
are responsible for the political situation in Armenia and Parliament
Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan bears the responsibility for the events on April
13.

“Parliament Speaker had hosted some criminals in Parliament while 4 MPs were
not allowed to enter there as delegates. The point is that 40 armed men went
out of Parliament building and blocked everybody”, MP Alexan Karapetyan
said.

MP was shocked at a scene. “A mother of a perished war fighter was lying on
the ground with a broken leg. 4 butchers were beating her like they wanted
to kill her. It is unspeakable when someone beats a blooded woman. A few
young people resisted blows and managed to take the woman away. The tragedy
is that a mother had sent her son to liberate Karabakh”.

A1 Plus | 20:15:46 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |

MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN FREEDOM SQUARE TOMORROW

About 70 representatives of defense, youth, students’ and other social
organizations have made a statement over holding a meeting tomorrow at 6:00
PM. Despite the fact that policemen don’t allow even 10-15 people now to
gather in the Freedom Square, the organizers of tomorrow’ meeting are
resolute. They are ready to prove to the Authorities that the country
belongs to people, laws must be prior in Armenia and Authorities have no
right to forbid the rallies. {BR}

Representatives of the organizations are sure that it is time to act instead
of making useless statements criticizing behavior of Authorities.

“The events on April 13 night proved that our country has become a police
state and the independent Armenia was distinguished by political prisoners”,
Avetiq Ishkhanyan, Chair of Helsinki Committee of Armenia, announced during
discussions held by the social organizations.

He informed that together with some organizations they had established a
prompt response group on human rights protection, which will be occupied
with releasing people arrested during rallies. “Many of the relatives of
those arrested don’t even know where their kinsmen are. Many people with
bodily injuries don’t apply to hospitals for fear. Many people are just
lost”.

A1 Plus | 14-04-2004

COMING SOON…

On April 15 at 6:00 PM the meeting of defense organizations over breach of
human rights in Armenia will take place in Freedom Square

On April 16 at 6:00 PM joint Opposition rally will take place in Freedom
Square