24 June 2009, 22:50
Regular monitoring of observance by Armenia of its obligations before PACE will be continued
At the moment, very few of the PACE's requirements have been fulfilled, and regular monitoring of the progress made by Armenia to this end will be continued. This is stated in the report "Functioning of Democratic Institutes in Armenia" by the commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which was prepared by co-rapporteurs John Prescott and George Colombier. At the same time, the document gives high estimate of the amnesty announced by the Armenian authorities.
The co-rapporteurs note that within the recent 15 months the authorities of Armenia, due to the efforts of the PACE and other structures of the Council of Europe, and also due to close and organized cooperation with Armenia's delegation to the PACE, have reached essential progress in fulfilling PACE's requirements: "Contradictory amendments to the Law of Armenia 'On Holding Rallies, Marches and Demonstrations' were cancelled, investigation into the events on March 1 and 2, 2008, was launched, and important amendments were made in problematic provisions of the Criminal Code. Besides, under PACE's recommendation a series of reforms were initiated. As a result of all these amendments, amnesty became possible, and many but not all the prisoners convicted in the context with the events on March 1 and 2, 2008 were released."
Arman Grigoryan, a member of the oppositional Armenian National Congress in the PACE, is sure that the announced amnesty has practically put out of the agenda any PACE's sanctions against Armenia.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
