Human Rights House Foundation calls for Nikol Pashinyan's release

In a letter addressed to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Deputy Minister of Justice Nikolay Arustamyan and Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, Human Rights House Foundation calls for the release of Nikol Pashinyan, the jailed editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper.

The letter reads:

"Members of the Human Rights House Foundation are seriously concerned with the latest assaults against political prisoner Nikol Pashinyan and are calling on Armenian authorities to release him immediately.

Nikol Pashinyan, 35, is editor-in-chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily and an oppositional activist of the Armenian National Congress who has been sentenced for his political views.

He participated in the rallies and demonstrations on 1-2 March 2008 organized by the opposition following the presidential elections on 19 February 2008.

The authorities brutally dispersed the rallies and used disproportionate force, which killed 10 and injured over 130 people. Pashinyan was charged with provoking violence against the authorities and organizing mass disturbances during the events following the 2008 presidential elections."