OPEN LETTER TO
Your Holiness Pop Francis,
Mr. President Barak Obama,
Madam Chancellor Angela Merkel,
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Mr. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter,
Mr Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon
SOS ARMENIA
Your Holiness Pope Francis, we turn to you, as your arrival to the Vatican filled our hearts with happiness and unprecedented faith; Mr. President Obama, we turn to you, as your election gave so much hope to so many people worldwide; Mr. federal Councilor Burkhalter, we turn to you, as you are at the head of a country, which is a model for the protection of human rights; Mrs. Chancellor Merkel, we turn to you, as you are an absolute standard of state wisdom; Mr. President Ban Ki-moon, to you, as the head of the most important International organization.
We turn to you, the five most influential and inspiring people in the world, asking you to listen to this URGENT call.
Our country is crumbling under the pressure of the monstrous Russian imperialism, under the general ignorance and silence of the international community. Unelected and illegitimate President of the Republic of Armenia Serj Sarkissyan is dealing with Russia, without considering its own citizens. Mr. Sargsyan was never elected. Twice he had usurped his actual position, the first time in 2008 at the cost of 10 innocent lives, and the second time in 2013, in a fraudulent election. Mr. Sargsyan is a dictator, usurper and should not to decide all by itself for the fate of the millennial Armenian civilization.
In Armenia, any attempt of a peaceful demonstration, any attempt to raise the voice of the people is killed immediately, any attempt to proceed by democratic or human ways are destroyed and followed by arrests and imprisonment without end or judgment. Anyone who dares to raise his voice is silenced immediately!
There are 15 political prisoners in Armenia today. The life of Shant Harutyunyan, the leader of the opposition is in danger! After subsisting the pressure and physical and mental abuse during two months in prison now, he started a hunger strike on 24th of December, requesting to lift the ban on visits of his family members and to ensure his security. On hunger strike now, he is left without necessary medical supervision in a critical condition, with no possibility of communicating with the outside world, he did not have the right to meet his family members, any visit and contact is refused to him and the other 14 political prisoners. Every passing minute can be dramatic for these fighters for freedom and human dignity; their lives are in danger!
Yesterday, on 28th of December in Yerevan, capital of Armenia was held a press conference organized by the family members of political prisoners. They called for the lifting of the ban on visits, to ensure medical assistance to their husbands and sons, and to ensure their safety. The appeal was made to the Ombudsman, to the representative of the Helsinki Group in Armenia, to all international organizations active in human rights defense in Armenia. None of them came, none of them reacted, and nobody listens to the voice of political prisoners and their families!
The same day, we assisted, helplessly, to another legal farce – the detention of political prisoners has been extended by two more months, without any basis or explanation!
We bade farewell to Nelson Mandela recently, the man who throughout his career has inspired us one thing – one person can change the world. We would like to ask you today to be those people who will change the destiny of an entire nation!
Over 1500 people signed this letter – you will not find any political parties or organizations, those are the individuals, ordinary Armenians, who have the right to be heard!
We are Armenians and we say NO to the forced Customs Union with Russia, we say NO to the demise of our nation, NO to the loss of our national sovereignty, NO to corruption, NO to dictatorship and persecution, NO to political prisoners!
Your Holiness, honorable Madam, Sirs,
We know that you are very well aware of all that has been mentioned above. All of you, in your speech, you always highlighted the importance of human solidarity, democracy and human rights and we are confident that you will not remain silent on this appeal and, true to your ideals and values, you will tend us your hand.
It is a matter of life or death! Raise your humanitarian voice, give us your valuable support to make the demands of political prisoners and their families heard, make their conditions acceptable and humane, ensure their safety and eliminate the danger of death they undergo!
Expecting your immediate reaction, as this is a call for survival!
Thank you for your time and consideration
Signatures : Over 1500 signatures