JHANGIRYAN’S ADVICE TO OMBUDSMAN

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Ex deputy Prosecutor General Gagik Jhangiryan issued a statement today addressed to Human Rights Defender Armen Harutyunyan.

I was amazed to hear the comments of Ombudsman Armen Harutiunyan on the case of 7 which has gone for trial. I wonder whether hundreds of outrageous trials which are over or still continue, thousands of breaches made during these trials, concocted evidence, groundless indictments, futile appeals, tax and customs terror against businesses, mass violation of basic human rights and freedoms are not enough for the Ombudsman to make a conclusion that the country has no system of law enforcement and justice, and every action of the regime is determined by the intention of keeping power, by the instinct of retribution.

I am much concerned that the human rights defender who should have spoken long before Hammarberg and Bryza and demanded an immediate release for all political prisoners and prevention of political persecution, says it does not matter if his friends who have been kept hostage on concocted charges at the cells of the KGB for over 9 months stay there a little more until the counsels of defense and prosecution present their grounds to the court of law, and his office monitors, and makes a final conclusion (in a year or in a year and a half, at best).

Dear Armen, if it is obvious to the foreign officials that the activities connected with March 1 are the vendetta of the law-enforcement bodies and courts, and they are already announcing about it, it should be obvious to you as a witness and participant of the events and a member of the fact-finding group for March 1.

I think this is not the case when my colleague and friend, human rights defender Armen Harutiunyan should “balance” the government-opposition relations with his statements. I advise you not to crush public opinion about the office of the human rights defender which is still fragile though positive.