Another political prisoner released in Armenia
Another opposition activist, who was put in prison in connection with the tragic events of March 1, 2008, was released on Monday, May 2. The Parole Board of the Sevan Penitentiary Institution upheld the petition for Bareghamyan's early release. The petition had been submitted by the penitentiary administration.
Bareghamyan was welcomed by his relatives and members of the opposition Armenian National Congress gathered outside the prison.
Aram Bareghamyan was arrested on March 9, 2008 on violence charges. The arrest followed the post-election clashes between the opposition and the police on March 1, 2008. In the morning of March 1, Bareghamyan was brutally beaten in the crackdown in Liberty Square. He was arrested a week later.
Bareghamyan was charged under Article 316 of the Armenian Criminal Code (violence against a representative of the authorities) and Article 112 (infliction of willful heavy damage to health).
He was sentenced to six years in prison.
Bareghamyan was the head of Levon Ter-Petrosyan's presidential campaign headquarters in the city of Hrazdan, and an electoral proxy for Ter-Petrosyan during the 2008 presidential elections.
