Vernatun Demands Change in Kocharyan's Detention Conditions: Statement

The Vernatun club has released a statement, which notes in particular:

“On November 15, the Vernatun public-political club held a conference. In addition to club members, representatives from extra-parliamentary political forces, expert circles, and civil society were invited.

The agenda included issues of public concern: The negotiation process regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is at a deadlock, increasing the risk of war (what to do?), The current level of public division poses a threat to national security (how to overcome it?), The judicial system, the Constitutional Court are subject to brutal pressure, and attempts are made to extend the established arbitrariness of the legislative and executive branches to this branch of power, which contradicts the principles of a legal-democratic state (how not to allow it?).

Assessing the quality and relevance of the speeches at the conference, the club states:

Having received broad public support for making fundamental reforms, the current government has proceeded and continues down a path of squandering that resource through unproductive populism, contrary to the promises made. As a result, the security level of Armenia and Artsakh has decreased, the state administration system is ineffective, the mechanisms of checks and balances are not functioning, and there is a real danger of arbitrariness.

Based on these findings, Vernatun proposes the following steps and demands:

Artsakh
1. The basis for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. Official Yerevan must cease to issue any statements contradicting Artsakh’s right to self-determination, and must refrain from making contradictory assertions. Discussions on any document or version for conflict resolution that does not affirm the political status of the Republic of Artsakh outside the composition of Azerbaijan should be excluded.
2. The international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh is a priority issue not only for the Republic of Armenia but for all of Armenian society.
3. Restore the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations to the agenda of Vienna and St. Petersburg.
4. Any attempts to interfere in Artsakh’s internal political processes and the upcoming presidential elections are unacceptable.

Public Atmosphere
1. Cease the promotion of hatred incentivized at the highest levels of power.
2. Put an end to the rhetoric and practices that divide society, political forces, civil society, and media into revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries, ours and yours.
3. Condemn attempts to discredit the national-state value system (Armenian language, history, church, culture, and patriotic education).

Judicial System
1. Abandon the focus on subordinating the Constitutional Court and the judiciary to the executive at all costs. The attempt to forcibly retire judges of the Constitutional Court “by virtue of law” is unacceptable.
2. Refrain from openly and covertly aiming at the redistribution of property through fear and coercion; the transitional justice and property confiscation bill without an accusatory conclusion contradicts the principles of a legal state and democracy.
3. The March 1 case should not be used for political purposes, and the conditions of the second President of the Republic of Armenia's detention should be changed. There should be no political prisoners in Armenia.