Armenian activist Vaagn Chakhalyan, convicted in Georgia, stops his hunger strike

At the request of Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the leader of the Armenian Eparchy in Georgia, the Armenian activist Vaagn Chakhalyan, who was convicted in Georgia for 10 years in prison and is now kept at the high security prison No. 6 in Rustavi, stopped his earlier declared termless hunger strike. This was reported by the lawyer Stepan Voskanyan, Mr Chakhalyan's advocate, and Robert Tatoyan, the programme coordinator of the Union "Erkir" (Law) at a press conference in Yerevan.

Let us remind you that Vaagn Chakhalyan declared his termless hunger strike on October 5 "in protest against the inhuman prison regime used against him, which is degrading his honour and dignity." The Armenian activist also demanded to stop illegal pressure and improve his prison conditions.

"His prison cell has no even the most basic hygiene means. The prisoner was not even allowed to meet his and a priest," Stepan Voskanyan said at the press conference.

According to his story, only after Vaagn was visited on October 11 by Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the leader of the Armenian Eparchy in Georgia, Chakhalyan's demands were partially satisfied, and he agreed to stop his hunger strike.

The lawyer has also noted that during Chakhalyan's hunger strike he was not visited by anyone from the Ombudsman's office or human rights organizations.

In his turn, the programme coordinator Robert Tatoyan has noted that the partial satisfaction of the activist's demands was, in the first place, due to the noise raised by Georgian media.

Mr Tatoyan believes that Chakhalyan's case goes beyond the legal aspect and has a purely political nature. According to his story, this case is not unique, because "the pressure by Georgian authorities on the activities of the Djavakhk youth is always present."

He also reminded that for more than a year Chakhalyan's case is under consideration by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

According to the "Coordination Council for Defence of Rights of Armenians of Djavakheti," Chakhalyan had consistently criticized the policy of Georgian authorities against the Armenians living in the region.

So far, there were no official comments of the administration of prison No. 6 on Chakhalyan's custody conditions.