Torture and signature

14/12/2008

The Armenian National Congress has made an announcement concerning the attempts of the government and police to make political detainees to “regret” for their actions. “On the one hand due to the growing pressure of the international institutions, and after understanding that keeping hostages and their poor behavior cannot break the democratic spirit, on the other hand as a result of critics on part of the PACE Monitoring Group and possible sanctions during the PACE session in January, the criminal authorities of Armenia have done one more mean. The emissaries of the incumbent government are visiting prisons and by using the fact that they have problems connected with their health and families make them sign documents certifying that they regret for what they have done, make the not to be involved in politics in the future any more, which means in fact that they are faced with a choice between torture and the right for life, which is a classic example of torturing. The Armenian National Congress is condemning this mean, which totally reminds the Soviet behavior. We believe that these actions are against freedoms and rights of people and they can’t help to resist the crisis in the country but will increase the gap between the society and the government more.”