"Robert Kocharyan is the main culprit"
Member of the Committee in Defense of Political Prisoners, former political prisoner Karapet Rubinyan doesn't treat Serzh Sargsyan's assignment to reveal the events of 1 March 2008 seriously.
"I don't think the authorities will reveal the events of March 1 and I don't think the relations between Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan will become so intensified that Serzh Sargsyan decides to use the revelation of the events of March 1 as a weapon. Apparently, they are partners in crime. Of course, the main culprit is Robert Kocharyan, but that doesn't reduce Serzh Sargsyan's role in the crime," Mr. Rubinyan told "A1+".
Rubinyan is certain that the authorities will release all political prisoners before the ANC's next rally on May 31.
"I accept as a basis Levon Ter-Petrosyan's statement in which he expressed confidence that that would be the case. The high-ranking officials made rather comprehensible allusions of possible amnesty and the release of political prisoners."
According to Karapet Rubinyan, the release of political prisoners is most welcomed in the open dialogue between the authorities and the opposition. "Whether it is a good phenomenon or political, Armenia will finally be out of the list of countries with political prisoners."
Mr. Rubinyan doesn't think it is important under which veil political prisoners are released. "It is clear that the authorities are demagogic. In general, it would be right for the current authorities to prefer the interest of the people and the government and not take such a humiliating step like the bloody clashes on March 1."
Karapet Rubinyan doesn't think the authorities will hold special elections after releasing the political prisoners. "I don't see any signs of that. On the contrary, Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced that the release of political prisoners would ease the tension. I don't believe Serzh Sargsyan will start to negotiate over his resignation in that situation."
