Relatives waiting for Pashinyan's release
Jailed opposition activist, editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Nikol Pashinyan, is expected to be freed from Artik penitentiary at any moment now. People gathered outside the prison are waiting for Pashinyan's release with beating hearts. They have chained the main entrance of the prison, chanting "Freedom to Nikol!"
Talking to A1+, Pashinyan's spouse Anna Hakobyan said they do not possess any information with respect to Nikol's release. Anyway, she hopes to see her husband in freedom at any moment.
Nikol Pashinyan was sentenced to 7 years in prison for "organizing mass disorder" during the riots following the 2008 presidential ballot. Ten people were killed and more than 200 others wounded in ensuing clashes between protesters and security forces, which led the outgoing President Robert Kocharian to declare a state of emergency and order mass arrests of opposition members. Pashinian was among several senior opposition figures who went underground and avoided arrest. He came out of hiding and was immediately placed under arrest in July 2009.
Former member of the Armenian parliament Sasun Mikaelyan, who was convicted in the March 1, 2008 case, was released earlier in the day.
