PACE or Serzh Sargsyan? Where is solution?
The Court of Appeals is due to examine on Oct. 11 the appeal of the four jailed activists of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK).
Members and supporters of the opposition alliance today gathered outside the prosecutor's office, urging the authorities to acquit the HAK activists.
"We express our support for the boys who are involved in the disgraceful proceedings as defendants," said Eva Tovamsyan, a participant of the protest action.
The HAK activists were taken into custody after an August 9, 2011, standoff with police officers in a Yerevan park and were immediately charged with hooliganism against a representative of law-enforcement body.
Though they do not pin hopes on the appellate court, they should first exhaust the domestic appeal system before applying to the European Court of Human Rights.
"Courts in Armenia are not independent. They serve the interests of the authorities returning illegal verdicts. They cannot oppose the Sargsyan administration," said defendant Sargis Gevorgyan.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recently defined the term of "political prisoner" which should be taken into account in political processes by the Council of Europe. The group says even the move does not instill hopes in them.
"We can only achieve tangible results under public pressure, in the result of consistent struggle," said HAK member Areg Gevorgyan.
The jailed activists believe that they will be acquitted only when Serzh Sargsyan and his regime are overthrown.
