Relatives of arrested activists of Armenian opposition demand release

The wives, sisters and mothers of the arrested activists of the opposition of Armenia have addressed the authorities with a demand to release political prisoners and stop prosecutions of their family members.

The press conference on April 8, held at the pre-election office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, was attended by about 20 women: wives of detained Alexander Arzumanyan, Ararat Zurabyan, Nikol Pashinyan, Miasnik Malkhasyan, Arshak Manucharyan, David Arakelyana, Ovanes Kazaryan, Masis Aivazyan, mother of Andrannik Ovakimyan and others.

Tsovinar Samsonyan, wife of the activist Ovanes Kazaryan, who addressed the journalists present at the press conference, has stated that the restrictions of the freedom of citizens that take place today concern not only the detainees and their families, but indicate the problems of the society as a whole. She has expressed bewilderment with the fact that law enforcement bodies would not stop prosecuting the family members and close relatives of the arrested oppositionists.

"The most insulting and painful fact is that the majority of the arrested persons are former participants of the Karabakh war," Ms Samsonyan has stated.

Edita Egoyan, wife of Ararat Zurabyan, a Board Member of the Armenian National Movement, was indignant with the fact that representatives of law enforcement bodies come to her home on a regular basis, conduct searches, trying to do it in the morning in order to intimidate children.