Hrayr Tovmasyan’s “sinning against justice” and Shant Harutyunyan’s hunger-strike termination
08:51, January 11, 2014 | News, Other news | Right to Fair Trial | Political Prisoners
“Shant Harutyunyan was worn-out, 2-3 days after our visit he was taken to hospital, his health state rapidly aggravated. And I just came to know that Shant Harutyunyan stopped the hunger-strike”, Chairman of HCA Vanadzor, member of Public Monitoring Group Artur Sakunts informed in a talk with Aravot.am.
It is noteworthy that at the end of the year the members of the Public Monitoring Group met at “Kentron” Penitentiary and had a meeting with Shant Harutyunyan, who had declared a hunger-strike.
Artur Sakunts considers Shant Harutyunyan a political prisoner and specifies, “The justifications that he allegedly violated the public order and exerted violence against a police officer do not correspond reality.” Those people were dressed in civilian uniforms and provoked. No citizen is obliged and cannot know that the person dressed in civilian uniform is a policeman. And how should we assess that the same person exerts violence against the peaceful demonstrators and the Police does not initiate any actions. Shant had previously warned that in case violence was exerted against him, they would respond.” According to Artur Sakunts the decision to ban Shant Harutyunyan from having meetings and making phone calls is also illegal and pursues a goal of isolating Shant from his followers, relatives and the society.
To our comment that the RA Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan does not accept that there are political prisoners in the RA, Mr. Sakunts responded, “The Minister of Justice has quite stayed back from the legal processes of CoU member states, since I must remind that the PACE has already adopted criteria, based on which a person can be deemed a political prisoner. He must attentively familiarize himself with the PACE documents, especially, for CoU member states.” Artur Sakunts draws such a conclusion, “Based on the RA ill practice I can surely state the Minister of Justice sins against justice in this case.”
Mr. Sakunts raises a question, “In that case why are not proper conditions provided for a striking political prisoner, whose right is going on a hunger strike, while, the state, in the face of the Minister of Justice, should ensure those conditions?”
He pointed out that the prisoner having declared a hunger strike should be placed alone and not along with other prisoners who take in food. “But no such thing is being done. Vahe has been spending the hunger strike in his cell since December 28, where there are prisoners taking in food”.
Source : http://www.aravot.am/2014/01/10/421359/