London, 16 April 1997 (RFE/RL) - Amnesty International says it continues to receive reports from Armenia of ill-treatment of people in detention. And, Amnesty notes, in particular, a rise in such reports after the controversial presidential election in September, and the opposition protests and violence that followed.
The London-based, Nobel Prize-winning, rights-monitoring organization has just issued a new report. Its current review period for Armenia extends from July-December, 1996.
Amnesty says it does not dispute legitimate action to halt violence, but it emphasized its concern about reports of those allegedly beaten while in detention, some of them brutally.
Amnesty cites two cases in particular:that of Aramazd Zakanian, a member of Parliament, who was allegedly beaten in detention, tranferred to a hospital and treated to repair broken bones. The case of journalist Gagik Mkrtchyan is also cited. Mkrtchyan tells Amnesty he was beaten severely during the first part of his 10-day detention.
The London-based, Nobel Prize-winning, rights-monitoring organization has just issued a new report. Its current review period for Armenia extends from July-December, 1996.
Amnesty says it does not dispute legitimate action to halt violence, but it emphasized its concern about reports of those allegedly beaten while in detention, some of them brutally.
Amnesty cites two cases in particular:that of Aramazd Zakanian, a member of Parliament, who was allegedly beaten in detention, tranferred to a hospital and treated to repair broken bones. The case of journalist Gagik Mkrtchyan is also cited. Mkrtchyan tells Amnesty he was beaten severely during the first part of his 10-day detention.