It was not due to the authorities’ good will, but due to the ANC’s struggle and the pressure by international agencies, that amnesty was declared in Armenia, the former deputy prosecutor general of Armenia, Gagik Jahangiryan, stated at a rally held by the Armenian National Congress (ANC) yesterday. He is among those amnestied under the RA Parliament’s resolution of June 19, 2009.

“We will have no peace as long as there is a single political prisoner in Armenia,” Jahangiryan said. He thanked all the supporters of ANC that, “endangering their own life and the life of their relatives and friends,” struggled for the prisoners involved in the March 1-2 events to be released.

“We, the political prisoners, were against amnesty from the very beginning,” Jahangiryan said. He pointed out that amnesty can be declared for crimes, “but we were convicted for our political beliefs, which is a fact accepted by the international community.” He also said that “both the legislative, executive and judicial powers, as well as the entire legal system” have been usurped in Armenia, and their personnel are so dependent on their bosses that “one can feel nothing, but sorry for them.”

Jahangiryan also stressed that Armenian courts’ verdicts against those involved in the March 1-2 case will be appealed at all judicial authorities for both physical and moral damage to be repaired. “As citizens who think of the country’s reputation, we would like to be rehabilitated by the Armenian legal and human rights system,” he said. On the other hand, Jahangiryan pointed out it is impossible as the country’s judicial system is violating citizens’ rights, which “forces us to apply to international authorities.”

He also stressed that the Armenian authorities are “stifling” small and medium-sized enterprises thereby “adding to the ranks of the unemployed day by day,” while the country’s wealth is “rapidly being amassed in the hands of oligarchs and top-ranking officials.”

According to Jahangiryan, these and other actions endanger Armenia’s sovereignty.

“Are we to put up with this? Are we to leave such a country to our children and grandchildren?” Jahangiryan asked. “We are not going to leave this path, we are not to be intimidated by repressions and arrests. Victory will be ours!”

Other supporters of the opposition released from custody spoke at the rally as well. Among them was Myasnik Malkhasyan, a participant of the Karabakh war.

“Azeris dreamed of the Artsakh war heroes being imprisoned some day, and our authorities have done it today,” Malkhasyan said. He stressed that “this disgrace will never be atoned for”.

Malkhasyan said that at the first hearing of the case the opposition members proposed taking a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the March 1-2 events, and everybody except for the judge and public prosecutors responded to the proposal.

“Our freedom is not victory, but only a step to victory,” said Smbat Ayvazyan, another participant in the Karabakh war. Even if the authorities release all the convicts involved in the March 1-2 case, the struggle will be continued until rule of law is established in the country. Ayvazyan also drew analogies between the present situation and the liberation war in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to him, the enemy was strong, and many people thought victory was doubtful, but Armenia “held out” because the people’s spirit was not broken.