According to our well-informed sources, the authorities have decided to set free one political prisoner every week till the New Year. According to this source of information from the plenipotentiary department, the so-called “independent” committee is already discussing the issue of setting political prisoner Felix Gevorgyan free. They also discuss the issue of setting Roman Mnatsakanyan free as the term of releasing him on conditions was over one year ago. Of course this is not humanistic approach on part of the authorities but a result of the pressure on part of the international community and this will be done before the visit the PACE commissioner on Human Rights issues Thomas Hammerberg and co-rapporteur on Armenia John Prescott to Armenia in January. Yesterday the head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Davit Harutyunyan confirmed this information in case when till now he has been busy with justifying the existence of political prisoners in Armenia. “In the recent period some imprisoned oppositionists have been set free as a result of political demand, but it was done through legal procedures,” said Davit Harutyunyan during yesterday’s press-conference. In answer to the question whether as a result of this political demand all the political prisoners may be set free he said, “There is no political demand or political approach, which would make the release of those people on conditions impossible.” By using the term “legal procedures” in fact Davit Harutyunyan approved the established fact the opposition has been standing for since March 1, 2008, i.e. he indirectly confirmed the fact that none of these opposition activists has committed crimes but they are in cells and continue being there because of the authorities’ “political demand”. However, these political prisoners will be set free not as a result of the inner pressure and political demand but the pressure from outside (Davit Harutyunyan does not like the word “pressure” so much).
