On June 16 in Yerevan an action was held to support the Chief Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” daily Arman Babajanian, sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment for document fraud to avoid compulsory military service. The action was to mark the two years since the detainment of the journalist – June 26, 2006. In the march from the Houses of the Government to the residence of the RA President representatives of NGOs, media and readers of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” took part. The march participants called for an early release of the Chief Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan”: the time when Arman Babajanian can again address the Commission on Early Release and Release on Parole draws near. As it has been reported, the two previous petitions of Arman Babajanian for an early release were turned down in July and December 2007 (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, December 14-20, 2007).
On June 18 the open address of the RA National Assembly deputy of “Heritage” faction, the member of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues Zaruhi Postanjian to the President of Armenia Serge Sargsian was published. The address urges the head of the state “to display good will” and “if possible, to contribute” to the fair realization of the legitimate right of people, including Arman Babajanian, to an early release.
According to the report of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” of June 19, 2008, the group “To Support Political Prisoner Arman Babajanian” announced that starting on June 20 it will hold “permanent protest actions”, demanding early release of the Chief Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan”. The first such action is to be held on June 20, by the RA President’s residence.
