Vahe Grigoryan is Political Prisoner

01 November 2005

The trial of the head of the “Right Legislative Group” LTD Vahe Grigoryan
started on October 25 and lasted three days. The Criminal and Military Court of
Appeal did not change the precautionary measure against him. His advocates
rendered a press conference. They were very careful in giving information in
order not to impede the process of the preliminary investigation.

The advocates of Vahe Grigoryan said they will fight till the end; and they
consider Vahe Grigoryan a political prisoner.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15432

Armenian Opposition ‘Denied TV Air For Referendum Campaign’

31 October 2005

Armenia’s leading opposition groups accused the authorities on Monday of
thwarting their attempts to run television advertisements urging voters to
reject the proposed amendments to the Armenian constitution.

Meanwhile, a senior ally of President Robert Kocharian effectively admitted that
the country’s main television stations loyal to the ruling regime are airing ads
commissioned by the “Yes” campaign free of charge.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15431

Desertion or Deception?: Armenia’s First Conscientious Objectors on Trial
for Refusal to Complete “Civil Service”

28 October 2005

Four Jehovah’s Witnesses engaged in alternative civil service instead of active
military duty in the town of Sevan are on trial on charges of organized
desertion. They refused to continue their service, claiming that it was
supervised by the Ministry of Defense.

None of the 24 men who began their alternative civil service last year serves
anymore. Twenty-two of them are Jehovah’s Witnesses and one is a Molokan (whose
religious beliefs, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, prohibit military service). One
young man who originally took alternative service decided to pass on to military
duty. Criminal proceedings were opened against 21 from the group; 15 are in
custody. Armenia ratified the law on alternative labor service instead of
military service in December 2003. It was part of the country’s commitments to
the Council of Europe. Before that, more than 150 Jehovah’s Witnesses were
sentenced to imprisonment for refusing to serve in the army.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15426

South Caucasus Conference in Gudauri

27 October 2005

On October 21-24 in Gudauri (Georgia) a conference “Human Rights and
Establishment of Civil Society in the Countries of South Caucasus” was held.

The conference brought together representatives of media and NGOs of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia. The participants discussed short documentaries on human
rights practices in the three countries of South Caucasus. The results of
quarterly reviews of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian newspapers were
presented. The purpose of this nine-month cross country study was to reveal the
degree and the nature of media coverage in each of the countries of events in
the two neighboring ones. The conference and the findings of the project will be
reflected in a documentary to be shown on TV air in Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia.


www.hra.am/eng/?page=issue&id=15424