ELDR calls on Armenia to release "political prisoners"

European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) calls upon Armenia's ruling authorities to "immediately release all the political prisoners."

"Armenia, being a member of the Council of Europe, should immediately release all political prisoners as freedom of speech and freedom of opinion is central values of the Council of Europe. Keeping people in prison for political reasons and denying them the right to due process of law is contrary to the basic obligations of member states of the Council of Europe and will certainly hinder the process of rapprochement between Armenia and the European Union," reads the statement by Head of the ELDR Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck published on the party's website.

Earlier leading Armenian opposition party and ELDR's full member the Armenian National Movement (HHSh, issued during its August 17 Congress an appeal regarding the continued existence of political prisoners in Armenia, many of which are HHSh members.