Armenian rights defenders support Thomas Hammarberg's report

The report of Thomas Hammarberg, Supreme Commissioner for Human Rights Council of Europe, published on May 9, is truly reflecting the situation in Armenia, and the rigorous assessments made therein could have been expected, say the Armenian rights defenders.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 9 Thomas Hammarberg published his report on Armenia, in which he assessed the use of force by law enforcers on March 1, 2008, as "disproportionate." Apart the post-election events, the report also covers the freedom of speech and assembly, and the human rights situation in the army.

"The estimates in Hammarberg's report are strict by their form; however, there's nothing conceptually new for me there. Certainly, the tone is more categorical, which is good for our authorities. Unfortunately, everything stated in the report is properly reflecting our present reality," Natalia Martirosyan, Co-Chair of the Armenian Committee of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Melissa Brown, chair of the human rights organization named "Shakhatun" and wife of the former political prisoner Alexander Arzumanyan, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she fully agreed with Thomas Hammarberg's estimates.

"This is a fair and perfectly justified document," she said.

Mikael Danielyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Association, also welcomed the report and said that the tough assessments in Hammarberg's report were quite expected.

According to Eduard Sharmazanov, press secretary of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, democratic values and reforms have no alternative for the authorities. During the past three years they have worked consistently towards deepening the democracy.

In his report Thomas Hammarberg has urged the authorities to make further efforts towards defending human rights.