“This may open a Hornet’s Nest” Artur Sakunts
06:04, June 21, 2012 | News | Right to Fair TrialOn June 19, 2012, the RA Court of Criminal Appeals rejected the appeal of Mher Yenokyan, who is serving a life sentence. On the same day, mardik.am asked Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor, to comment on the decision. Sakunts stated that the only hope was in the Court of Cassation and he further believed that the case should be appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.
Artur Sakunts believes that this is not only about Mher Yenokyan because if the act is found to be unlawful, it would apply to others as well.
“Finding logic in the verdicts of the RA Courts is an ungrateful job, because in such cases political convenience openly prevails over legal factors. In fact, a decree by the second president is being evaluated and if it is found to be unlawful, it will open a hornet’s nest, he said and added that this could be a precedent to revising the decrees of presidents, which is something the authorities want to avoid.
Mher Yenokyan, appealed the August 1, 2003 decree by then president, Robert Kocharian, that granted 38 prisoners amnesty by having their death penalty sentence changed to life.
Source: http://mardik.am