I do not particularly like Manvel Grigoryan, Robert Kocharyan, and the others. I wrote about them many times while they were still “on top of the world.” But now that they are under criminal pursuit, I consider the correct humane and legal approach to be of utmost importance. Sometimes, comparisons made with Talaat Pasha and Adolf Hitler are not adequate, not due to the scale of the atrocities they committed, but simply due to historical context.
According to the logic of the 1920s, Talaat Pasha needed to have been shot as a war criminal. But since the government of Turkey also comprised of criminals, Soghomon Tehlirian was the one who shot Talaat Pasha. Glory and honor to Tehlirian! According to the logic of the 1940s, the crimes committed by the Nazis during the war were subject to criminal tries, and some of the Nazis were hanged. This took place during the Nuremberg Trials. According to the logic of the 1990s, generals and officials who committed war crimes during the Balkan Wars in Yugoslavia stood before the Hague and were imprisoned for the appropriate amount of time.
In 2018, according to the logic of Armenia, a member of the Council of Europe, those who committed crimes but once considered themselves to be invincible also need to stand before the court and be imprisoned. Their method of deterrence prior to being imprisoned can be detainment or house arrest, which will be determined by the court. The thought that “a person needs to sit in jail before they’re sentenced” comes from Soviet times.
Yes, modern Armenia’s legislation is modeled after European humanitarian values. It’s very possible that many people do not like those laws. But if that’s the case, then people need to protest on the streets to change those laws instead of protesting in favor of changing someone’s deterrence method (they are presenting this demand to the police chief or the Minister of Justice, which shows how little people know about the judicial system). They need to protest against not only changing our country’s legal system from its roots, but also, changing our values. For example, they can suggest that Armenia subscribe to Sharia law, and stop claiming to be proud of the fact that we were the first Christian nation.
But since our country has not changed its values, I want to repeat the truth that has lasted for 2,000 years: anyone, even the worst of criminals, is worth being treated humanely. In the 21st century, this particularly means that if a person’s crimes have been proven, they are punished by being separated from society, not through poor prison conditions and not through being prevented from having medical treatment or legal representation. The individuals who did not carry themselves well during the previous administration and Armenian society overall need to understand this in order to move forward.
Aram Abrahamyan
