European parliamentarians get free access to Armenian prisoners
YEREVAN, April 8. /ARKA/. European parliamentarians held meetings with the prisoners involved in the March 1-2 case without any obstacles, Marie Anne Isler Béguin, the head of the European Parliament delegation for cooperation with Armenia told reporters.
She pointed out that during a number of meetings the European parliamentarians listened to the prisoners’ points of view of the March 1-2 events and of hearings of their cases.
The Armenian political opposition forces led by Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan held rallies in Yerevan from February 20 to March 1, 2008, protesting the results of the February 19 presidential election in Armenia. On March 1-2 the actions of protest developed into riots and clashes with law–enforcers, which claimed ten lives, leaving over 200 casualties.
About 100 people have been arrested.
Marie Anne Isler Béguin pointed out that the prisoners’ conditions in the places of confinement are among the most topical issues during European delegations’ visit to Armenia. She is informed of the construction of new penitentiaries with much better conditions in Armenia.
The European parliamentarian said that the issue of prisoners involved in the March 1-2 case must be settled, and the authorities are taking relevant steps.
Marie Anne Isler Béguin called for drawing lessons from the March events and preventing rallies that may claim human lives. She stated she is for peaceful rallies that are not followed by riots. P.T. –0--
