Hunger Strike
While RFE/RL reports that some of those MPs and former officials detained for their involvement in former president Levon Ter-Petrossian’s post-election rallies have gone on hunger strike, the Armenaker Kamilion posts a list of demands by other lesser known detainees. Indeed, even as self-proclaimed “representatives of political opposition forces,” most Armenians will not recognize any of their names.
Nevertheless, if the threat of a hunger strike is serious, this is another setback for Armenia’s image abroad and Sargsyan as he takes over the presidency this week. Previously, hunger strikes have never amounted to much more than a day or two at best and so the action in itself is quite unprecedented. For now, however, the names of the most prominent radical opposition figures — Levon Ter-Petrossian and Aram Z. Sargsyan — are missing.
We, the representatives of political opposition forces in the recent elections, imprisoned on false charges regarding our beliefs and political activities, declare ourselves political prisoners, and announce, in protest, a hunger strike with an undefined endpoint and with the following demands:
- the declaring illegitimate the results of the presidential elections of February 19th, 2008.
- the commencement of an independent international investigation to expose and punish the criminals responsible for the bloody crimes of March 1st.
- the release all political prisoners.
- the cessation of the pursuit of a single-party system.
- the safeguarding of access to information, assembly, freedom of speech, and other human rights.These demands are directed to the present government, their international accomplices, and independent governments who through their efforts, or lack of efforts, aid the criminal takeover of the government that is taking place in Armenia, today.
Vladimir Arakelian
Marzpetuni Aivazian
Sayad Hovanessian
Armen Grikorian
Shmavon Galstian
Yura Simonian
- Published:
- 04.07.08 / 12am by Onnik
- Category:
- Armenia, Armenia Presidential Election 2008, Blogs, Demonstrations, News Briefs, Opinion, Revolution
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