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To the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan

Within one month, the eighth anniversary of the shameful and tragic events that took place on March 1st, 2008, which marred the history of newly independent Armenia, will be completed. On that fateful day, for the first time in our national history, the authorities of the state sworn to protect its citizens, ordered to open fire on the protestors, which resulted in ten deaths and caused various degrees of injuries to hundreds of civilians.
This was an unacceptable blow to the democracy in a country which is a member of the Council of Europe. This tragedy has yet to be politically addressed, and its perpetrators be legally condemned. The legal impunity of the perpetrators of this tragic event has given birth to numerous other crimes against the republic and its citizens while creating a deep rift among the people and the government.
There are political prisoners in today’s independent Armenia who are imprisoned not because of criminal acts, but rather for their political views and dissident posture.
We, on behalf of citizens of Armenia, are demanding that you exercise the power bestowed to you by the Constitution, to free all the political prisoners in the country now, by March 1st .
In these challenging times for our nation and its people, this will be an important and necessary step, on the road to restore solidarity among the people, and provide assurance for the citizens that democracy and constitutional law has a chance to be established in Armenia.
We are appealing to the citizens of Armenia, Diaspora Armenians, international communities, and human rights organizations to hereby sign this petition, and hence support the humanitarian request of freeing the political prisoners in Armenia.

Artur Sakunts, Human Rights Activist

Tigran Khzmalyan, Movie Director

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