Amnesty to refer to some of convicted in March 1-2, 2008 events

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan said amnesty will be granted to some people imprisoned with respect to the March 1-2, 2008 events.

“I know that some people will try to tie up the amnesty solely with the March events, but amnesty is a comprehensive act aimed at solution of more global problems,” said Tovmasyan.

As for release of editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak paper Nikol Pashinyan, Minister Tovmasyan advised to look at the text of the amnesty proposal and see if the provisions envisaging release comply with the articles, under which he was convicted.

Besides, the Minister said the case of Sasus Mikaelyan is a separate process not related to the amnesty. He noted that the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly separately applied to the President with respect to Mikaelyan’s release.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan applied to the National Assembly with an offer to announce amnesty dated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. The President’s suggestion is based on the RA Constitution and Law on National Assembly’s Regulations.

Mikaelyan has been convicted in the March 1 case. He was accused of riots organization and illegal weapons possession. Currently, Mikaelyan is in prison.

On April 29, Speaker of the Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan applied to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan with a request to issue pardon for former parliament member Sasun Mikaelyan.

“I join the offer of the parliamentary coalition’s political forces. Being concerned over the health state of our former colleague, I urge you to consider the possibility of issuing pardon for him,” Abrahamyan said in a statement.