3 political detainees – one death

11/02/2009

Yesterday the Heritage parliamentary faction organized a signature collection action. The National Assembly doesn’t want to hear political prisoners Sasun Mikayelyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan and Hakob Hakobyan who were deprived of their liberty a year ago without any substantial reasons. The “Heritage” party has not been able to collect 44 signatures to convene an NA extraordinary session. The Heritage knocked at the doors of all NA deputies and wasn’t able to collect 11 signatures. Three deputies who are currently political prisoners, six members of “Heritage”, independent deputy Victor Dallakyan and Republican Tigran Torosyan participated in the petition. The political prisoners had called on the National Assembly to convene an extraordinary session with them and Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan. The deputies deprived of their liberty were planning to substantiate their innocence and demand explanations from the Prosecutor General for the charges. This claim doesn’t have any tint of usurping the power or organizing mass disorder and if the government thinks they are guilty why do they shun to declare it at the NA? If judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan is not able to do that why would Aghvan Hovsepyan not declare that at the NA? “The MPs justify their behavior as they don’t wish to interfere the court procedure.” Moreover, the MPs, who yesterday refused to sign they always speak that they are spiritually with their jailed colleagues. But we all know that they will sign only if they are allowed from above.