Politicians and human rights activists: amnesty of political prisoners in Armenia is a must

Politicians and human rights activists in Armenia believe that the amnesty of political prisoners will take the authorities out of the deadlock.

Aram Karapetyan, Chairman of the Party "New Times", has stated that the amnesty of political prisoners is a unique way for the authorities out of the situation, when criminal cases against oppositional activists fail, and during litigations many witnesses refuse from their previous evidences.

Armen Rustamyan, spokesman of the Supreme body of the ARF "Dashnaktsutsyun", has stated that the ARFD Party had always stressed the need of granting pardon to oppositional activists.

Meanwhile, Karapet Rubinyan, a member of the Committee "In Defence of Political Prisoners" and former political prisoner himself, has stated that the amnesty of imprisoned oppositional activists looks very strange. "Those who are guilty are pardoned, but the guys are guilty of nothing; it became clear in the course of shameful trials, in particular, on the 'Case of Seven'," he said.

Earlier, Ovik Abramyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia, said that on May 28 President Sargsyan will make a statement about the amnesty for those accused in relation to the events on March 1, 2008.