"We the undersigned Armenian civil society organisations express our deep disappointment and bewilderment concerning the one more delay of the visit of the PACE Monitoring Committee's co-rapporteurs in regard of Armenia to Yerevan authorised by the Committee as far back as on June 22, 2010.

Despite the fact that Armenian authorities are flagrantly violating their international obligations in the fields of Democracy, protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Rule of Law, in particular they are continuing to disregard the principal demands of the last four resolutions adopted by the PACE, the PACE Monitoring Committee continuously demonstrates unacceptable softness in regard to Armenian authorities.    

By tolerating the refusal of Armenian authorities to accept the co-rapporteusr visit, refusal which is conditioned only by the drive to escape once again the responsibility for the crimes committed since the 2008 presidential elections, the Committee factually becomes a plaything in the hands of Armenian authorities and stimulates the deepening of the sense of their impunity. 

Furthermore, the discussions concerning the visit of co-rapporteurs to Armenia held during the last Session of the PACE and the substantiation of the delay, make us doubt the meaning of the monitoring procedure and the objectiveness of the Committee.

Considering the efforts of Armenian authorities to personalise the monitoring procedure unacceptable, we once again call upon the Monitoring Committee to avoid being manipulated by our authorities, to demand the immediate visit of co-rapporteurs to Armenia and to attain that goal."

Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Armenian Committee
Asparez Journalist's Club
Helsinki Citizen's Assembly's Vanadzor Office
Menq Plus NGO
Centre for Rights and Freedom NGO
Youth for Democracy NGO
Transparency International Anti-corruption Center
Political Prisoners Wives' "Shahkhatun" NGO

Source: www.panorama.am