Sons will read their father's letter from prison (video)
On November 5, sons of several political prisoners in Armenia will hold a rally at Liberty Square in Yerevan, demanding the release of their fathers. The rally will be followed by a march in downtown Yerevan. The organisers will be wearing Guy Fawkes masks. The mask has become a well-known symbol for the online hacktivist group Anonymous, as well as anti-government protests around the world. Shahen Harutyunyan, the son of the chairman of the radical opposition Tseghakron party Shant Harutyunyan, has been organizing Anonymous marches in Yerevan for four years now, voicing his protest against the system and demanding the immediate release of his father. During the rally, Martun and Raffi Poghosyan, the sons of Alek Poghosyan who is serving a prison term with Shant Harutyunyan, will read out a letter sent from prison by their father. Talking to journalists in Yerevan, Martun said he wants to continue his father’s work as he wants to live in a free country. “Our brothers and sisters will also join us when they grow up. We are proud to be the sons of Alek Poghosyan.” Shahen Harutyunyan said there are over 70 political prisoners in Armenia. “Their number does not matter. The most important is the fact that we have political prisoners in a country where freedom of speech and human rights are violated, where people are sent to prison for raising their voice of protest. Fourteen citizens became political prisoners with my father. Another goal of the rally is to restore people’s consciousness lost because of soap operas and low-quality music,” he said. Though Shahen Harutyunyan says though their actions have not produced the desired results in four years, they are determined to continue the struggle. “The more pressure the authorities exert on us, the more targeted and efficient our struggle will become,” he stressed.
