20:56, 9 September 2003

Armenia must respect rules of Council of Europe, including those for death penalty abolition, says representative of this organization

"One should not proceed from the extent of the society's preparedness when deciding on the abolition of a death penalty," the chief advisor of the Armenian Police head Doctor of Law Mikael Grigorian said at the international conference "The Death Penalty and Republic of Armenia". According to his words, society does not always keep abreast, particularly, in the matter of how a death penalty matches human rights.

The chairman of the parliamentary commission for state-legal issues Doctor of Law Rafik Petrosian spoke for the death penalty abolition. At the same time, taking into consideration the fact that the terrorist act of October 27, 1999 is on trial, he spoke for some reservations in the law on the application of the new Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

Ziman Christoph, the administrator of the CE Directorate of Human Rights, spoke sharply against such an opinion. Particularly, he said Armenia had joined the Council of Europe voluntarily and undertaken concrete obligations, so it must respect the rules of this organization, including those for the unconditional death penalty abolition.

Author: Susanna Petrosian, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot