Visits
Meeting with Arman Babajanyan and Arthur Ayvazyan in “Nubarashen” PI
07/24/07
The working group met with the Head of the Penitentiary Institution V. Arakelyan, then with Arthur Ayvazyan. There was a small scratch on his cheek, according to Ayvazyan, it was a result of coachings. He also said that he is not aware of his mother's complaint and told that in case of beatings or any problem he will apply to the Human Rights Defender’s Office himself. A. Ayvazyan also offered Defender's representatives, at the opportunity, to be present at the judicial sitting in the RA Criminal Court of Appeal.
Basing on series of publications in press where was information that the editor-in-chief of newspaper «Zhamanak- Yerevan», convict Arman Babajanyan went on hunger-strike, the working group met with [him. A. Babajanyan informed that the hunger-strike lasted one day, and he decided to stop a hunger-strike and solve the problem by legal proceedings, that is to bring an action to court. A. Babajanyan complaints about the activity of the “Commission on the issues of conditional pre- term release from serving a punishment, replacement of the unserved part of the punishment with less strict one”. Babajanyan also noted that this structure is unconstitutional.
According to Arman Babajanyan, the definition of the constitutionality of RA President's executive order about the aforesaid commission is in the legal procedure of RA Constitutional Court, and he offered Human Rights Defender to intervene in this process.
Human Rights Defender's representatives informed A. Babajanyan about the scope of powers, as well as Defender’s attitude regarding the aforesaid criminal case. The working group also noted that taking into consideration public interest of the case, Human Rights Defender mentioned Arman Babajanyan’s criminal case in his Annual report and expressed his point of view.
