Yesterday a group of women protested near the public general prosecutor’s building to protect the rights of the persons arrested after the presidential election.
The chairman of Republic party Aram Z. Sargsyan visited them. It is worth mentioning that after April 1 Aram Z. Sargsyan was called by the police special investigation department to give a testimony. A criminal case has been launched against him too; he is accused under Article 225/3 of the RA Criminal Code (organizing mass disorders followed by murder), Article 225/1 (organizing and conducting illegal demonstrations) and Article 300 (brute power aimed at usurpation of the state power). “Totally I am subject to a 45 years imprisonment,” he said. The special investigation services have taken A. Sargsyan’s signature and assurances not to leave the country. He also said, “In several days Levon Ter-Petrosyan will speak, and his silence does not mean that the first president will give up with his struggle at all. Even the authorities know that Levon Ter-Petrosyan will not step back.” He also answered to our questions.
– Almost all opposition leaders are in cells. Levon Ter-Petrosyan is under house arrest. Who will lead the movement?
– I strongly believe that people will struggle without a leader too. At the same time, I believe that the struggle will be led by the society itself, as for the leaders, they were just directing that struggle. The authorities will be clever if they set the leaders free and let them direct the movement. Otherwise the struggle will be disorganized and very dangerous. It is up to them to decide whether to arrest all of us and keep the power for more five years or to chose another way.
– Will Serzh Sargsyan declare amnesty after the inauguration of the newly elected president?
– I don’t exclude the possibility that they may arrest me as well after the inauguration. Thus, I don’t look at things from that point of view. There is a society, which does not agree with the results of this election, and all what happened was a result of the fact that the election was falsified. The people can always find a way for their lawful struggle.
– Last week Robert Kocharyan said that he had suggested to make legal amendments, according to which those parties and people who have provoked a conflict between the two parts of the society should be punished. What do you think about this?
– Certainly I agree with it. But it will be possible to find those people and see how long they have been doing it only if the investigation is objective.
– Who and when?
– Yes, certainly, Robert Kocharyan after he set foot here.
– Different parties are continuously calling on the opposition and government enter into a dialog. Are you ready for a dialog?
– In order to enter into a dialog we need to congratulate the day of beauty and maternity of our women at home, whereas they went to the prosecutor’s office as their husbands are not at home due to the fact that their political orientation is different. Anyone can say such things just for saying.
– Do you exclude the possibility of a dialog?
– Excluding anything may bring to a conflict, I am against the possibility of excluding negotiations over the conflict of Karabakh. The human being can think and can speak as well. They are viewing these people as their enemies. In such case there is no sense to expect a dialog.
Correspondents of other newspapers were there and they asked questions as well. Some of the questions and answers are presented herein:
Hayk newspaper:
– Do you expect reformation after all these events and developments?
– I can always expect good reformations in Armenia. I am optimist and I want this country change. The only way for this change lies through recovering the trust of people toward elections. Otherwise I don’t think that there may be any changes. In a country, where the society has lost the trust toward the electoral mechanism, where the society doesn’t accept the government and even hates them after the events of March 1, there cannot be any reformations. Accordingly, there will be certain changes in this country. These changes may develop in two ways. They can just arrest us, everyone, included Levon Ter-Petrosyan and make this country like North Korea. In such case I think that the resources of Armenia will be wasted after three months. Or they can chose the other way and try to understand what is the purpose of this struggle and why the society complains. They can organize extraordinary elections, congratulate the winner and leave with a good name and honor. Otherwise they cannot leave with honor. They should enter into a dialog not with us, but with the society. Now my problem is to see that my friends are set free and have the opportunity to meet with people. Now let’s see what the problems of the authorities are and how many problems they have. Can they solve so many problems without us? They can’t for sure.
A1+:
– What do you think about the fact that on the fortieth day after the death of the March 1 events victims a military march is being organized in the Liberty square?
– It is too bad that they are marching in the square. It is not a military place. It is not by chance that there have not been such things so far. If they are doing such a thing, it means that they are showing to people that they are afraid. From that point of view I think it is normal because scared people can do anything to save themselves.