CoE official badly informed on March 1 clashes
Jean Luis Loran, Director General of the Council of Europe for Political Affairs and Democracy, today had a meeting with relatives of the ten victims of March 1, 2008.
According to a preliminary arrangement, the relatives were to meet CoE General Secretary Thorbjørn Jagland but the latter was unable to attend the meeting because of his busy timetable.
The relatives informed the European official that all criminal cases on the deadly clashes of March 1had been discontinued. They also complained of the European co-rapporteurs on Armenia and maltreatment in Armenian courts.
"Co-rapporteurs do nothing in connection with the ten deaths," said Alla Hovhannisyan.
"We want and demand that Europe take into consideration our opinion," said Jemma Vardumyan.
During the meeting, Jean Luis Loran noted that the Council of Europe does not sit idle and takes efforts to address the issue. The co-rapporteurs will visit Armenia in 2011 after the second co-rapporteur is elected, he said.
According to the relatives, Mr. Loran had vague information on the tragic events of March 1. He thought the victims were political figures and not ordinary citizens. Only after the meeting with the relatives, Loran understood that innocent people were killed in Armenia on March 1, 2008.
