OSCE hails release of Armenian oppositionist prisoners

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is satisfied with the release from prison of Aramazd Zakarian and Zhora Sapeian of the Armenian opposition Republican Party and the abolition of charge against them.

This is mentioned in the statement of the head of the OSCE Yerevan office, Vladimir Pryakhin, published by the OSCE secretariat in Vienna on Friday.

The OSCE also approves the actions of the Armenian authorities releasing Suren Sureniants of the same party and hopes that investigation against him will be ended.

Vladimir Pryakhin's statement reads: "The OSCE hopes that this step taken by the Armenian authorities will promote political dialogue between the opposition and the ruling coalition of Armenia and boost stabilization in this country".

Simultaneously, the head of the OSCE mission in Yerevan expressed regret over the limitation of the human rights to the freedom of assembly and speech in Armenia, a signatory of the OSCE main provisions and the Istanbul Charter.

Mr. Pryakhin also stressed that the OSCE Yerevan office was going to continue to closely monitor political developments in Armenia and support democratic processes on-going there.