Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

The amnesty is expected to result in the quick release of some 400 prisoners, which is equal to roughly 10 percent of the country's entire prison population.

Only 4000 prisoners in Armenia? Seems surprisingly low?

And 10% of Armenia's prisoners are political prisoners? Really?

Who are these 400? There are not 400 people in jail for the protests that followed the February 2008 presidential election. Not 400, not even 40. I bet these 400 are actually mostly Sarkisian-supporting mafiosi criminals, or officials convicted of bribary and corruption, or police officers convicted of torturing or murdering suspects, or military officers convicted of murdering their conscripts.

[Mos]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

Mos, you still believe in the dream called "good deeds". Armenians have always behaved themselves, Armenians have always been on the good side, Armenians have always tried to do it the human way. That's one of the main reasons why we are in the difficult situation we are in now, because we were never on the attacking side but on the defending side.

Do you really think Europe cares about Armenia being "better" than Azerbaijan because we released some dangerous criminals? Wake up, they don't give a xxxx about it. Just like they didn't give a xxxx about the destruction of Armenian heritage in Julfa (how "bad" was Azerbaijan then compared to Armenia?), just like they don't give a xxxx Saudi-Arabia kills thousands of innocent people, they won't give a xxxx Armenia releasing some prisoners. When will you understand this my friend?

Good deeds are not seen in this world. Those who have blood in their hands and tried to stage a coup, shouldn't have been released. Anyways, probably something happened behind the scene (Levon vs. Hovanissian clash, Serzh Sarkissian deal with Levon) that made this possible. At last, Levon doesn't have enough power anymore to stage a revolution, with or without the criminals in or out of jail, because criminals they will remain.

Well, I happy not because EU is happy with us or any other power, but because there is some civil dialogue within our country. I'm happy that Armenia is not like Azerbaijan where saying one thing against Aliyev lands you in jail. Where political dialogue is pretty much non-existent as its an effective dictatorship. In the end, this also weakens Levon and his movement, which is a good thing because last thing we need is a Levon revolution. For Levon and his movement, it would have been better if none of these things happened, so he could continue to complain against the Government. Yes, I don't like Levon as I think a person who is willing to sell Karabakh doesn't deserve to lead the Armenian people. That being said, arresting him and jailing him, doesn't solve the problem and in my view worsens it. What we need is a open, civil political atmosphere in our country, which in my view is being achieved and Serzh is being seen more favourably.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

It's good to see dialogue within the political parties.

"Dialogue" often just means dividing up the cake a little bit differently: those that have, in the past, eaten cake to excess will get a little less, so that a few newcomers can be given a share too. But the voters always get none, or, at most, a few crumbs of it.

[Tigranakert]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

Mos, you still believe in the dream called "good deeds". Armenians have always behaved themselves, Armenians have always been on the good side, Armenians have always tried to do it the human way. That's one of the main reasons why we are in the difficult situation we are in now, because we were never on the attacking side but on the defending side.

Do you really think Europe cares about Armenia being "better" than Azerbaijan because we released some dangerous criminals? Wake up, they don't give a xxxx about it. Just like they didn't give a xxxx about the destruction of Armenian heritage in Julfa (how "bad" was Azerbaijan then compared to Armenia?), just like they don't give a xxxx Saudi-Arabia kills thousands of innocent people, they won't give a xxxx Armenia releasing some prisoners. When will you understand this my friend?

Good deeds are not seen in this world. Those who have blood in their hands and tried to stage a coup, shouldn't have been released. Anyways, probably something happened behind the scene (Levon vs. Hovanissian clash, Serzh Sarkissian deal with Levon) that made this possible. At last, Levon doesn't have enough power anymore to stage a revolution, with or without the criminals in or out of jail, because criminals they will remain.

[Mos]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

People are saying Serzh and Levon have made a deal behind doors, thats why Serzh is releasing these people and that's why Levon isn't protesting.

yeah, it's very possible, but I rather they make deals behind closed doors rather than Levon threaten revolution and protest every other week.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Pr. Sargsyan declares amnesty for Political Prisoners

In my view, this is a great development, especially since Azerbaijan was recently heavily condemned by EU for jailing more opposition people, and shortly after Azerbaijan joined the non-aligned movement. It's good to see dialogue within the political parties - I hope this seals the chances for any revolution by Levon.

People are saying Serzh and Levon have made a deal behind doors, thats why Serzh is releasing these people and that's why Levon isn't protesting.

[Mos]

In my view, this is a great development, especially since Azerbaijan was recently heavily condemned by EU for jailing more opposition people, and shortly after Azerbaijan joined the non-aligned movement. It's good to see dialogue within the political parties - I hope this seals the chances for any revolution by Levon.

Armenian Parliament Approves Amnesty For Jailed Oppositionists

May 26, 2011
YEREVAN -- The Armenian parliament has overwhelmingly approved a general amnesty that should lead to the release of virtually all opposition members currently in jail.

The release of all "political prisoners" is one of a leading opposition party's (HAK) three main preconditions for starting a potentially far-reaching dialogue with President Serzh Sarkisian and his three-party governing coalition.

Sarkisian requested the move last week.

The National Assembly approved the bill by 90 votes to 0, with one abstention.

The amnesty is expected to result in the quick release of some 400 prisoners, which is equal to roughly 10 percent of the country's entire prison population.

Among them will be four members of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) jailed in the wake of the protests that followed the disputed February 2008 presidential election.

The vote sparked deadly street clashes in Yerevan between security forces and opposition protesters. More than a hundred supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the HAK leader and the main opposition presidential candidate, were arrested in the following weeks.

The amnesty law will take effect the day after it is signed by parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian and formally published. Abrahamian must sign the bill within 24 hours.

Asked when the opposition figures and other detainees will be set free, Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasian told RFE/RL's Armenian Service: "We have to see when it will enter into force. We still have 22 hours to publish the law."

"The clock will then start ticking," he added.

Some parliament deputies from Sarkisian's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) predicted that the most prominent of the jailed oppositionists -- Nikol Pashinian, editor of the newspaper "Haykakan Zhamanak," and former parliament deputy Sasun Mikaelian -- will be freed before the HAK's next rally in Yerevan, which is scheduled for May 31.

In addition to the release of all "political prisoners," the HAK is insisting on the lifting of a de facto government ban on opposition rallies in a key Yerevan square and a renewed investigation into the 2008 unrest. The Armenian authorities effectively met those demands late last month.

HHK spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said on May 26 that the amnesty will facilitate "internal political dialogue."

The HAK says that it will negotiate with the government only on the conduct of pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections, its main stated goal. The government and its political allies have repeatedly ruled out the possibility of early elections.

"We are attentively watching developments," said senior HAK representative Levon Zurabian. "We see that efforts are being made to free the political prisoners."

Zurabian said the HAK will announce its next steps at the May 31 rally.

"One thing is already clear: we have achieved a serious success," he said. "It is also clear that this is creating a new situation that allows us to