YPC, Yerevan, 18 Jul 2008 – On July 18 the Commission on Early Release and Release on Parole refused the plight of “Hospital for Convicts” penitentiary institution for the early release of the Chief Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” daily Arman Babajanian.
As it has been reported, Arman Babajanian, having been sentenced to 3.5 years’ imprisonment for document fraud to evade military service, has twice made a petition of early release, in July and December 2007, and was refused both time.
On July 8, 2008 to execute the ruling of the court of general jurisdiction of Kenton and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan the administration of “Hospital for Convicts” penitentiary institution, where Arman Babajanian is presently kept, filed a plight for the early release of the journalist with the Commission above.
The Armenian authorities were also urged to release the Chief Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” by a number of international human rights and journalistic organizations, professional associations, media and NGOs of the country. Their statements stressed in particular that Arman Babajanian has already spent two years in prison and the issue of his early release can be decided positively, proceeding from his good conduct. It was also noted that the sentence of the head of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” is disproportionate to the offense: normally the punishment for such offences does not exceed 2-3 years.
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