Sarkisyan: "A person must not be sentenced for their political convictions and beliefs"

Articles today report that Sarkisyan is against any political imprisonment, and that his thinking and plans are in line with those of PACE.

This must be a joke.

Sarkisyan can’t possibly expect international organizations, including PACE, OSCE, and others, not to mention the citizens of Armenia, to take this statement seriously. As one article points out, as Sarkisyan made this proclamation, the pre-trial arrest of Aram Karapetyan (who per reports has just suffered a severe myocardial infarction while in prison- see prior entry) was extended by two more months, and Vartan Jahangiryan’s trial just started – Mr. Jahangiryan was shot during his arrest, supposedly it was accidental. Of course, Alexander Arzoumanyan’s imprisonment has been extended by two months as well, as of today.
The Yerevan Press Club issued a strong statement criticizing the government for repression of free speech and free press, making recommendations to mend the situation which are in line with the principles of the PACE resolutions.
The residents of Vanatur, as well as invalid war veteran Arshavir Bozinyan, staged a protest today in the rain, in support of detained MP Sasun Mikayelyan, and against the ongoing “groundless persecutions” – they presented a letter with 11,000 signatures to the government.
Does it come as a surprise that Musinian (spokesman for former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan) noted that if the situation does not change, street demonstrations may again be called for, as is the constitutional right of the citizens of any free country?
Speaking of constitutional rights, Badalyan makes an excellent point in an article in Zhamanak: “It is absolutely unnecessary to set up a working group or to work out proposals if the government obeys the Constitution and the laws of Armenia and places them at the core of public, political, social, economic, cultural relations.”
The actions and hunger strikes continue, and they too, continue to be persecuted (see prior entry).
Like I said. Sarkisyan can’t possibly expect that statement to be taken seriously.