Life-termer goes on hunger-strike in Armenia

Mher Yenokyan, one of life-terms in Armenia, has gone on a hunger-strike on Monday.He demands a review of his case from Armenia's president and relevant agencies.Yenokyan, whose parents are doctors, studied at Yerevan State Medical University. At the age of 20, he was charged with murdering his classmate and sentenced to death. Later, however, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.Yenokyan has never pleaded guilty, his lawyers say.The action group dealing with life-termers' problems, in cooperation with the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, held a meeting with journalists on Monday.They called on Yenokyan to call off his hunger-strike. They also demand that Armenia's Court of Cassation, on the basis of the new findings of the case, repeal the sentence passed on Yenokyan 16 years ago.Avetik Ishkhanyan, a member of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, reported he had a meeting with Yenokyan after he escaped from prison. He was in despair and on the point of committing suici de.Zaruhi Muradyan, an action group member, believes that Armenia's judicial bodies are unwilling to review the case because they will not admit judicial errors.The writer Artsvi Bakhchinyan said that he did not know anything about Yenokyan. It was not until he read Yenokyan's book that Bakhchinyan joined the action group. He noted that about 200 people – intellectuals, workers of culture, civil society representatives – signed the application for review of Mher Yenokyan's case. The application was sent to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Minister of Justice Hrair Tovmasyan, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan and President of the Court of Cassation Aram Mkrtumyan.   Read more... (261 words)

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