Georgians violate Javakheti Armenians rights prior to Saakashvili's visit to Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian authorities' consistent policy aimed at violating the rights of the Armenian population of Samtskhe-Javakheti has recently acquired coarser and more vivid manifestations. Georgian National Security Council recently interrogated Javahk's school teachers preparing to leave for Armenia for trainings, "Yerkir" union reported to PanARMENIAN.Net



"The continue violating the rights of political activist Vahagn Chakhalyan who was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment on April 7, 2009. Besides, RA NA parliamentarian Shirak Torosyan who is well known for his public speeches devoted to Javahk Armenians was denied entry to Georgia without any explanation," the union says in a statement.



Concerned over the increasing dissatisfaction in Armenia, Diaspora and international community, Georgian authorities intensified persecutions against Armenians prior to President Saakashvili's visit to Armenia. In this way, they attempt to reiterate their unyielding stance on Armenians of Javahk and impose new concessions of Armenia through economic pressures.



" 'Yerkir' union calls on Georgian authorities to refrain from persecution policy, as it may intensify existing dissatisfactions. Hence, Georgian authorities' attempts to transfer Javahk issue to the level of intergovernmental relations will be doomed to failure," runs the statement.



The union states that Armenian authorities, different structures in Armenia and Diaspora, as well as international organizations are obliged to implement effective steps towards eliminating the deepening crisis in Javahk and resolving Armenian population's problems in compliance with international norms of protecting human rights and ethnic minorities.