21:00, 10 February 2010

Armenian Ombudsman promises to personally deal with Pashinyan's case

A special working group was formed in the office of the Armenian Ombudsman with the aim to deal with the case of the well-known journalist Nikol Pashinyan, an activist of the opposition, who was convicted to seven years of imprisonment. Ombudsman Armen Arutyunyan promised to personally deal with the case.

"So far, we haven't arrived to the final conclusion whether the editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'Armenian Time' Nikol Pashinyan is covered by the amnesty," he has noted.

He has reported about the working group of four experts, formed in his office specifically to study this case. According to the Ombudsman, the opinions in the group as to Pashinyan's amnesty split equally: two experts assert that he should be amnestied, while the rest of them stick to the opposite opinion.

"We have no unanimous approach: the issue needs a deeper study. If the unequivocal opinion as to his detention is absent, any doubts shall be interpreted in favour of the citizen. This is the demand of the law, and the dilemma should be resolved in favour of Nikol Pashinyan," Mr Arutyunyan said.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan

Source: CK correspondent