Several newspapers carry a statement by Levon Ter-Petrosian’s Popular Movement alliance which deplores the fact that many of the opposition supporters arrested by the authorities are veterans of the war with Azerbaijan. “Azerbaijan could only dream about putting them in prison,” says the statement. “Today they are prisoners in Armenia. They are political prisoners.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” challenges Ter-Petrosian to explain why he did not leave his house and join thousands of supporters who gathered outside the Yerevan mayor’s office on March 1. The paper claims that Ter-Petrosian’s associates were pleading with him to rush there and calm the crowd. “Not only didn’t you go but also strictly banned Nikol Pashinian, Ararat Zurabian and Aleksandr Arzumanian from going there at around 2 p.m., while realizing that the absence of yourself and any influential figure ready to speak for you could create panic and uncertainty among both the people and law-enforcers,” it says, appealing to Ter-Petrosian. “You needed an escalation of the situation during those two hours and you got it.”
“Are the criminal cases opened [against Ter-Petrosian] loyalists so complicated that two months was not enough to prove their guilt?” asks “Aravot.” The paper looks at the case of opposition leaders Aleksandr Arzumanian, Ararat Zurabian and Karapet Rubinian. All of them are accused of seeking to “usurp power,” a crime punishable by 10-15 years in prison. It wonders why the authorities are taking so long to substantiate the accusations in court. “If a politician publicly says that ‘this government is bad and must quit’ and that is deemed a usurpation of power, then not a single oppositionist will be left on earth. This is what the opposition has said in all countries and at all times.”
“We have said and argued on more than occasion that Levon Ter-Petrosian had no moral right to even express a desire to again become president after awarding the abysmal 1990s to our country and people, that he conducted an intolerant pre-election campaign, dividing the people and turning them against each other, that he is primarily to blame for the blood spilled on March 1,” writes “Azg.” “However, along with that, we can not fail to point out that persecutions to which [businessman] Khachatur Sukiasian continues to be subjected because of supporting Levon Ter-Petrosian in the pre-election period are unacceptable. The steps taken against Khachatur Sukiasian’s companies are becoming even more meaningless and damaging for our economy and business environment now that post-election emotions seem to be showing signs of calming down.”
(Armen Dulian)
“Hayots Ashkhar” challenges Ter-Petrosian to explain why he did not leave his house and join thousands of supporters who gathered outside the Yerevan mayor’s office on March 1. The paper claims that Ter-Petrosian’s associates were pleading with him to rush there and calm the crowd. “Not only didn’t you go but also strictly banned Nikol Pashinian, Ararat Zurabian and Aleksandr Arzumanian from going there at around 2 p.m., while realizing that the absence of yourself and any influential figure ready to speak for you could create panic and uncertainty among both the people and law-enforcers,” it says, appealing to Ter-Petrosian. “You needed an escalation of the situation during those two hours and you got it.”
“Are the criminal cases opened [against Ter-Petrosian] loyalists so complicated that two months was not enough to prove their guilt?” asks “Aravot.” The paper looks at the case of opposition leaders Aleksandr Arzumanian, Ararat Zurabian and Karapet Rubinian. All of them are accused of seeking to “usurp power,” a crime punishable by 10-15 years in prison. It wonders why the authorities are taking so long to substantiate the accusations in court. “If a politician publicly says that ‘this government is bad and must quit’ and that is deemed a usurpation of power, then not a single oppositionist will be left on earth. This is what the opposition has said in all countries and at all times.”
“We have said and argued on more than occasion that Levon Ter-Petrosian had no moral right to even express a desire to again become president after awarding the abysmal 1990s to our country and people, that he conducted an intolerant pre-election campaign, dividing the people and turning them against each other, that he is primarily to blame for the blood spilled on March 1,” writes “Azg.” “However, along with that, we can not fail to point out that persecutions to which [businessman] Khachatur Sukiasian continues to be subjected because of supporting Levon Ter-Petrosian in the pre-election period are unacceptable. The steps taken against Khachatur Sukiasian’s companies are becoming even more meaningless and damaging for our economy and business environment now that post-election emotions seem to be showing signs of calming down.”
(Armen Dulian)