On July 29 Human Rights Watch sent open letter to the Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielyan encouraging for his immediate intervention in urging the responsible authorities to provide Arman Babajanyan with the highest possible standard of treatment.

July 29, 2009

Dear Minister Danielyan,

We are writing regarding the well known journalist and editor, Arman Babajanian, who is currently nearing the end of his three-and-a-half-year prison term on charges of draft evasion.

We have learned that Mr. Babajanian has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, which is affecting his eyesight and requires urgent medical intervention. We are very concerned about his health and therefore ask for your immediate intervention in urging the responsible authorities to provide him with the highest possible standard of treatment.

Arman Babajanian is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zhamanak Daily, an independent daily newspaper published in Yerevan and Los Angeles, California. He was arrested on June 26, 2006 on charges of evading military service and falsification of documents related to his military service. He admitted to the charges, paid the required fines, and was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Babajanian has now served most of his sentence and scheduled to be released in about a month and a half.

In July 2008 Human Rights Watch urged the Armenian authorities to grant Mr. Babajanian's request for parole on good behavior.  Despite international encouragement the Armenian authorities did not grant the request.

We hope that you will do everything in your power to ensure Mr. Babajanian's access to the highest possible standard of treatment.

We thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Holly Cartner

Executive Director Europe and Central Asia Division

Human Rights Watch