Hammerberg reveals results of studying post-election events in Armenia

Thomas Hammerberg, Commissioner of the Council of Europe for Human Rights, has published results of studying this March events in Yerevan. The report notes that it is promptly necessary to resolve the problem of prisoners and find those in charge of the post-election events of spring 2008 in Armenia.

Stefano Montanari, press secretary of the Commissioner, reports that Mr Hammerberg's report says: "The prisoners' situation continues causing serious concern. Questions remain as to the character of presented criminal charges and the aims of conducted investigations." Thomas Hammerberg has expressed his regret with the fact that criminal cases against 19 prisoners had been opened only on the basis of policemen's evidences.

The Commissioner has expressed his special concern about the seven persons in pre-trial custody, well-known representatives of opposition among them. "It's inadmissible to keep people behind bars or to pass verdicts - even conditional ones - only on political convictions or for the activities, which have nothing to do with violence," the IA "ArmInfo" quotes Mr Hammerberg's report.

The Commissioner has recommended the government of Armenia to go on with the efforts with account of the recommendations of international experts.

Meanwhile, in the evening on September 29, as the IA "News-Armenia" reports, Arutyun Garibyan, former employee of 10th Department of the National Security Service, who had been searched on charges of direct participation in mass disorders on March 1, was detained in Yerevan. He has been charged under part two, Article 225 of the Criminal Code ("Direct participation in mass disorders"), and arrested.