Volodya Avetisyan stops hunger strike
Karabakh water veteran, retired army Colonel Volodya Avetisyan has stopped the hunger strike which he started seven days ago. On Monday, a representative of the Ministry of Justice visited Volodya Avetisyan in the Vardashen prison to inform him that his demands are under consideration. Last week, Volodya Avetisyan addressed an open letter to Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan, Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan, Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan, a number of lawmakers and Artur Sakunts, Head of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office. In the letter, a group of inmates expressed their dissatisfaction with the treatment towards them and say that they are denied parole and the right to serving sentence in the so-called open regime. They also demanded that the relevant bodies take measures to restore their rights. Avetisyan was convicted of fraud and sentenced to six years in prison in July 2014. He has been in custody for two years. Avetisyan pleaded not guilty and said his arrest was political retribution.
