HAK activists hold picket in support of their jailed friends
Activists of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) again grouped outside the Prosecutor General's Office on Friday, carrying posters "Red-hats, you are hooligans!", "Armenia without political prisoners," "Free HAK activists," "Discontinue unfair trial," and the like.
HAK activists say that Friday protests organized by the opposition alliance have acquired a symbolic character.
"They show the level of our preparedness and our determination to continue the struggle irrespective of all types of violence exerted on the political prisoners," said Areg Gevorgyan, a participant of the picket.
The group says they were not surprised by the November 13 verdict of the Appellate Court which left the decision of a lower court [sentencing the HAK activists to prison] unchanged.
"We are going to appeal the decision in the Court of Cassation though we are convinced that the latter will also overturn our claim. Then, we shall appeal to the European Court of Human Rights," said Areg.
The participants of the picket want to see the jailed opposition activists in freedom.
"We do not seek their acquittal. The political prisoners existing in Armenia in 2008-2011 were released without acquittal," they say.
The HAK activists will be holding a march on Nov. 17 in support of the four jailed activists. The group expects representatives of political and public structures to join the move.
HAK activists Tigran Arakelyan, David Kiramijyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and Artak Karapetyan were taken into custody after an August 2011 standoff with police officers in a Yerevan park and were immediately charged with hooliganism against a representative of law-enforcement body. They were later sentenced to 2-6 years in prison.
