Gayane Khachatryan: Armenian political prisoner Mikaelyan can be early relieved

The current legislation assumes a mechanism of early relief of prisoners in case of a heavy disease, which prevents any further stay in prison. Lawyer Gayane Khachatryan told about it to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent in her comment on the chances to get amnestied because of state of health for the Armenian political prisoner Sasun Mikaelyan.

The former deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia Sasun Mikaelyan was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment under the criminal case about mass disorders on March 1, 2008, in Yerevan. He was not covered by the amnesty announced in Armenia on June 19.

Ms Khachatryan, who is representing the human rights organization "Helsinki Assembly", has noted that the existing mechanism of granting amnesty allows early relief of imprisoned category I and II invalids; however, an exception is made for the prisoners who have committed grave crimes, which is just Mikaelyan's case. "In his case the mechanism is not applicable, as Mikaelyan was convicted to eight years of imprisonment, which means a grave crime committed by him," said the lawyer.

At the same time, according to her version, part two, Article 79, of the Criminal Code of Armenia assumes an early relief from prison if a convict got seriously ill, and cannot serve the rest of his term at a criminal-corrective establishment.

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