By now the Armenian authorities are not fulfilling their commitments under PACE Resolution #1677. RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan stated that the PACE Resolution is a most unbiased document, indicating both positive and negative facts. According to him, all the previous resolutions remain in force, and Armenia’s monitoring will be continued. Harutyunyan enumerated the commitments the Armenian authorities have and have not fulfilled.

He stressed that, by now, the Armenian authorities are not executing the commitments under Clause 5.3, prohibiting the arrest of those on list of wanteds who will appear before law-enforcers before July 31, 2009. According to Harutyunyan, one of the glaring examples is the Nikol Pashinyan case – he was immediately arrested. “I cannot understand this measure of restraint. If he came, what was the sense of arresting him? Of course, one can advance an absurd theory that he can abscond again,” Harutyunyan said, not without surprise at the authorities’ theories.

“Indeed, the Resolution is unbiased, indicating both positive and negative facts. But my estimation is that there are more unresolved problems than resolved ones,” he said. Speaking of the recently declared amnesty, Harutyunyan pointed out that varied responses are normal in this case. “I wish the amnesty applied to all those involved in the March 1-2 case,” he said.

Yesterday, representatives of the RA Ombudsman’s Office held a meeting with the political prisoner Tigran Arakelyan. The Ombudsman refused to make any comments on who was right in the July 1 events, when policemen brutally beat up the young people who were announcing a rally. Moreover, he asked me to inform the Office of the events for its task group to be present and be aware of the developments.