Human rights are not subject of bargaining
Chairman of the Center for Right and Freedom and Coordinator of the Committee for the Protection of Political Prisoners and Persecuted People, has addressed a letter to PACE Co-rapporteur on Armenia Axel Fischer.
In the letter, Vardan Harutyunyan urges PACE to help release the political prisoners in Armenia.
"The primary task of the co-rapporteurs is to provide accurate and unbiased information. I am hopeful that PACE will abandon the practice of using double standards and will use its entire potential to turn Armenia into a democratic country where there are no political prisoners and political repression.
We understand that establishment of democracy is the first and foremost task of the Armenian people. We do not ask you to fight for us. We are hopeful that our people will succeed in their endeavors one day.
However, we are convinced that the protection of human rights is everybody's task irrespective of one's nationality and place of residence.
We expect PACE to remain committed to its mandate and resolutions.
Human rights and dignity are vital issues and we must do everything possible to exclude the existence of political prisoners in Belarus, Russia, Iran, Armenia Cuba and elsewhere.
We believe that you will do your utmost to release the political prisoners languishing in Armenian prisons for three years," reads the letter.
