RA Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan, in his speech made at the National Assembly, stated the following, “Even the term political prisoner has come out of our lexicon, aren’t these achievements? How many high-profile cases were revealed in recent years, how many high-ranking officials were convicted and sentenced to prison? No one says that Yerevan is one of the cities of the highest level of street crime; these crimes are missing. I say all of these for you to say “good for the government, what nice things it is doing.” In the conversation with the human rights defender, Aravot.am asked whether Hrayr Tovmasyan presents the objective reality, the Head of “Center for Rights and Freedom” Vardan Harutyunyan said, “Their and the public lexicon are completely different things. This term was not in their lexicon, they have always said that there are no political prisoners, despite being involved in political repression. But, our society, the public and the international community, in their turn, have always said that there were and are political prisoners in Armenia. Not matter they state that this word does not exist in their lexicon, it exists in the lexicon of democratic society and the international community.
There are also trends that this word will continue to exist in our lexicon.” We asked whether it means that Hrayr Tovmasyan distorts reality, Mr. Harutyunyan replied, “He represents the reality the way he wants to see, or presents the reality distorted.” To the claims of the Minister that in recent years high-profile cases have been detected, and high-rank officials were convicted and sentenced to prison, Vardan Harutyunyan responded, “I do not think that it could be something to boast for the authorities that their colleagues are criminals, corrupt and mastering. This is not something to boast but to feel ashamed. Should there be impartial judicial system in Armenia, a lot of people around Hrayr Tovmasyan would have appeared in the prisoner’s bed.” Mr. Harutyunyan said that he would like for the authorities to realize that it is not something to boast. Human rights defender Mikael Danielyan also believes that Hrayr Tovmasyan is distorting the reality. He particularly conveyed the following, “We have political prisoners, and the last political prisoner has recently appeared in Armenia: it is Shant and his team. The Minister of Justice does not live in Armenia, either he is mistaken, or has no information, or distorts everything. The Minister is not in place. It is not the first time that Hrayr Tovmasyan makes speeches, which are not in compliance with the reality, and it leaves the impression that he has not been in Armenia for a long time.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
