Empty Promises about Democracy

9:43 Yerevan | 5:43 GMT | Thursday 24 July 2008

The committee of protection of political prisoners issued a statement which holds: “Despite the appeals of innumerable human rights and other international organizations the Armenian government once again violated the right of Arman Babajanyan, the editor-in-chief of the Zhamanak Yerevan and the Zhamanak Los Angeles newspapers for early release.

The decision to keep him in prison is purely political because in the legal context there are no grounds to keep him in prison. Through this step the Armenian government proved the world and our society once more that their promises to establish democracy in the country are empty talks. They hope that through murders, torture, sending political opponents to prison they can intimidate our citizens and silence their voice of protest.

The committee of protection of political prisoners condemns that fact of depriving Arman Babajanyan of his right for early release and describes it as political persecution against the citizen of Armenia and free-minded reporter.”

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