Chakhalyan's fate is the problem of the region's entire Armenian population

PanARMENIAN.Net - The fate of Vahagn Chakhalyan, leader of "United Javahk Democratic Alliance" movement, is the problem of the entire Armenian population of Samtskhe-Javakheti, French lawyer and member of Paris Bar Patrik Arapyan said. "The problem of the region's Armenian population has very deep causes. Since the time of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia's rule, the country was governed by the slogan 'Georgia for Georgians'. As a result of such policy, the region's Armenian population decreased from 0.5 million to 280 thousand. Armenian activist Chakhalyan's case should be viewed in the light of such developments," the lawyer stressed.



On May 29, Tbilisi administrative court held the second hearing to consider Georgian Justice Ministry's refusal to register Patrick Arapyan as Chakhalyan's defender. After the respondent, i.e. Georgian Justice Ministry, submitted documents on the court case, the judge postponed the hearing till June 15, accounting for such decision by the necessity to review the documents. On February 16, 2009 Georgian Justice Ministry refused to register lawyer Arapyan as Chakhalyan's defender, without giving any justification for such decision. In a letter addressed to Justice Minister Adeishvili, Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari proposed that Chakhalyan's right be reinstated by allowing the French lawyer to act as his defender, but the Georgian authorities ignored the recommendation.



During the protest held in Paris on April 14 and 28, Georgia's Ambassador in France Mamuka Kudava promised that Georgian authorities would approve the request for Patrick Arapyan's registration.



On April 6, the court sentenced Vahagn Chakhalyan to 10 years' in prison, and imposed a fine in the amount of 18.000 laris ($10.650). Chakhalyan's intend to appeal to higher courts and reach the European Court of Human Rights.