Yerevan Officially Assures CE No CIA Secret Prisons in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia officially assured the Council of Europe that there are no secret prisons in the territory of the Republic and Armenia did not assist US secret agents in transporting persons suspected in terrorist activities through the country. «I am proud to state that there are no secret prisons or illegally transferred detainees existing on the territory of the Republic of Armenia,» says a January 27 letter of Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian to Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis published last week. Last November T. Davis asked CE countries to explain how legislation of those countries guarantees control of activities or foreign agency representatives. The move was made within the framework of an investigation, launched after statements that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) interrogated people suspected in association with Al-Qaeda in secret prisons situated in Eastern Europe, as well as transported them through Europe via secret air flights. Armenia is not included in the list of countries, on which the investigation is held.



In his letter V. Oskanian presented the list of articles of the Constitution of Armenia, which regulate arrest of suspects in crime and extradition. At that the Armenian FM assured, «the Armenian legislation provides for necessary guarantees of protection of human rights and freedoms, thus preventing any illegal deprivation of liberty in Armenia or transportation to another country.» Oskanian's letter along with other messages received from Council of Europe countries is placed at the CE website. Terry Davis' report, where he notes that information provided by Italy, Macedonia and Bosnia is not full, while three countries, including Georgia, did not respond T. Davis' call, is also put on the website.