Politician: Coordinated opposition actions to neutralize government s  goals are vital for release of political prisoners

ArmInfo.Coordinated opposition actions to neutralize RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's goals and bring about the release of illegally detained individuals are vital for the release of political prisoners.

Armen Ashotyan, Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, who is currently in custody at the Vardashen Penitentiary, writes about this in his article, "What Else Should the Opposition Do?" According to him, the opposition's  post-election agenda undoubtedly includes important issues that will  determine its future political strategy: discussing complaints in the  Constitutional Court, Samvel Karapetyan's proposal to form a  post-election opposition coalition, etc.

"At the same time, despite all this, I must remind the opposition's  political and public circles about the issue of political prisoners.  There were many political prisoners during Pashinyan's rule, but the  pre-election and post-election repressions are truly unprecedented.

Prisons are overcrowded, and the government is even concealing the  real number of our compatriots under house arrest. Yes, by depriving  us of freedom for political reasons, the regime is attempting to  solve two main problems: disbanding or paralyzing the opposition  movement and maintaining an overdose of fear in the country," the  politician noted.

He added that coordinated actions to neutralize its goals and bring  about the release of illegally detained individuals are vital to the  release of political prisoners. "We should also not forget that, no  matter how much the 'democratic West' turns a blind eye to  Belarusian- or Azerbaijani-style terror, it is important not to give  Western structures a break by raising the alarm about this problem.  My proposal is not based on the fact that I myself am currently  illegally imprisoned. My political team, the Republican Party, is  leading this fight, and I have personally initiated or participated  in numerous actions during my brief freedom for the release of  political prisoners. Currently, there are over 100 political  prisoners in the country, representing virtually all political and  social strata. Therefore, I believe a united opposition struggle for  their freedom is inevitable, without cheap and immoral games of  self-interest," Armen Ashotyan noted.

He presented several concrete proposals for the opposition's  consideration. First, holding regular and ongoing protests with clear  political messages at Western embassies, both individual and mass.  Second, conducting similar actions in front of government buildings  that have become part of the repressive apparatus. Third, constantly  raising the issue in the public and media space - from social media  to the press. Fourth, it is crucial to know the schedules of arriving  delegations or figures from abroad and "greet" them with visible and  creative actions. Fifth, inviting European officials - from MPs to  commissioners - to write letters about the most egregious cases or  the general situation. Sixth, attempting to organize informational  and educational campaigns with the participation of compatriots from  the diaspora in the foreign ministries or parliaments of their  countries.

"This list, of course, is not exhaustive and could be supplemented  with other actions. I repeat, it is important to move this issue  forward, regardless of other possible events and initiatives in the  opposition sphere. Freedom for all political prisoners! P.S. I am  very saddened that, according to media reports available to me, the  1,000th day of our compatriots' imprisonment in Baku was marked by an  event organized only in Washington. Freedom for Armenian prisoners of  war!" the politician wrote.