Vahagn Chakhalyan responds to Saakashvili
Vahagn Chakhalyan, a Javakhk-based Armenian activist, has issued a statement referring to Georgian President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili's recent announcement in which he condemned Chakhalyan's release.
"Saakashvili's accusations in my address prove once again that my imprisonment was politically motivated and I was arrested for fighting for the protection of the rights of the Armenian population of Georgia. Saakashvili again proved that he jailed me for voicing about failure of the country to implement the assumed international commitments on ethnic minorities and silence the Javakhk Armenians.
Spreading lies and misinformation about me Saakashvili is attempting to conceal the simple fact that as in many other domestic and foreign issues, his political course has failed in this issue as well. Convicting me with false charges, prosecuting other Javakhk-Armenian activists had the reverse effect - they helped to draw the attention of the international community on the issues of Javakhk Armenians. Though my release was the demonstration of a good will of Georgia's new authorities, it was also agreed with the calls of the Javakhk residents and pressure of the international community, Chakhalyan said adding that Saakashvili's announcement will be forwarded as additional evidence to the European Court of Human Rights which is presently discussing Chakhalyan's appeal.
