Former political prisoner: They are against the current government
Meruzhan Hovhannisyan, a former political prisoner who spent over 20 years in Soviet prisons, celebrated his 75th anniversary on June 13. The author of some 30 books defines the notion of ‘political prisoner:’ “A political prisoner is someone who endures hardships and suffers for his political thought,” he said. Mr Hovhannisyan says he was convicted by the laws of Soviet times as he violated the law of the Soviet Union. “I was against the law and conducted anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda. I harbored animosity toward those who were in power; therefore I was considered to be a political prisoner,” he says. « In reply to A1+ whether there are political prisoners in Armenia today, Mr Hovhannisyan said, “Whatever these people did has nothing to do with criminal behaviour. When the country’s Organic Law guarantees freedom of speech and conscience, a reasonable person listens to his conscience and manifests his will. How can he impede the existence of the state?” he said adding that these people did not want to ruin the state. This is their homeland, their country… They are against the current government. The government is transient,” he said.
