Vahagn Chakhalyan (b. 1981 [1] ) is an Armenian social and political figure in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region , Georgia .
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Biography
In 2001, he founded the non-governmental organization “Youth Sports and Cultural Union of Javakhk”, in 2005 became one of the founders of the political organization “ United Javakhk ” [2] . Known for its work to protect the rights of the Armenian population of Georgia. He consistently criticizes the policy of the Georgian authorities towards the Armenians of Javakheti [3] [4] .
On July 21, 2008, Vahagn Chakhalyan was arrested by the Georgian police and in April 2009 was convicted by the Georgian authorities of 10 years in prison on charges of “possession of weapons” and “organizing mass events that violate public order”. Also, his father and minor brother were sentenced to pay a high fine "for the acquisition and possession of weapons."
Arrest
The expert of the European Center for Minority Rights, Jonathan Wheatley, taking into account the time elapsed after the "crimes" incriminated to a Javakhk politician (all but one of the charges were dated 2005-2006) and his arrest in July 2008, suppress the United Javakh movement [5] . According to the statement of human rights organizations, the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the Human Rights Center (HRIDC), the Institute of Civil Society (CSI), the trial against Chakhalyan was held with numerous violations. In addition to procedural violations, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, without any reason, denied Chakhalyan the right to get a lawyer at her own discretion [6] . On October 30, 2009, the Court of Appeal of Georgia left the sentence against Chakhalyan unchanged [7] .
The verdict against Vahagn Chakhalyan and his family members received a wide response in Armenia and in the Armenian diaspora. The public and political circles of Armenia and the Armenian diaspora regard him as “unfair” and “based on trumped-up charges.” A number of Armenian non-governmental organizations [8] [9] , Armenian [10] [11] and European parliamentarians [12] [13] adopted statements and took certain steps in defense of the Javakhk activist. On April 14 and 28, 2009, protest actions were held in front of the Georgian Embassy in Paris demanding the release of Vahagn Chakhalyan, organized by the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France [14] . In Armenia, an Intellectuals Committee was formed in defense of Vahagn Chakhalyan, who in January 2011 called for the presidents of Armenia and Georgia to release Chakhalyan [15] .
In February 2010, his book Prison and Political Notes (in Armenian) was published [16] .
Exemption
On January 24, 2013, Vahagn Chakhalyan was released as part of a large-scale amnesty, declared in Georgia by the Georgian Dream party that came to power. Chakhalyan’s release caused sharp criticism from Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili [17] .
Notes
- ↑ Armenian News - WHERE IS THE DOG DOWN?
- ↑ Jonathan Wheatley, Integration of National Minorities in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions of Georgia. Five years of the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili. ECMI Working Paper No. 44. September 2009
- ↑ Vahagn Chakhalyan: "Anti-Armenian hysteria rages in Georgia with the full connivance of the authorities"
- "We are fighting for the preservation of the Armenians in Javakhk, but not for the Armenians of Kutaisi": the appeal of Vahagn Chakhalyan
- ↑ Jonathan Wheatley, Integration of National Minorities in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions of Georgia. Five years of the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili. ECMI Working Paper No. 44. September 2009 pp. 31-32
- ↑ Court of Appeal must restore justice
- ↑ The sentence against Chakhalyan was left unchanged
- ↑ Statement of the Coordination Council of the Armenian organizations of France regarding the oversight of the Vahagn Chakhalyan trial in Georgia
- ↑ Armenian minority of Georgia suffers from violation of their rights
- ↑ Armenian authorities should not treat Javakhk as a diaspora: former Foreign Minister of Armenia
- ↑ Georgian authorities always blame Russia for their problems with national minorities: expert
- ↑ The European Parliament is concerned about the discrimination of national minorities in Georgia
- ↑ Member of the National Assembly of France Roland Bloom raised the problems of the Javakhk Armenians
- ↑ Un autre piquet prévu le 5 mai à 18h30 devant l'ambassade de Géorgie
- ↑ Representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia call on the presidents of Armenia and Georgia to release Chakhalyan
- ↑ News-Politics-ARMENIA Today-The book of Javakhk political figure Vahagn Chakhalyan "Prison and Political Notes" was published
- ↑ Georgian government responded to Saakashvili: in connection with Chakhalyan there can be no serious crime | ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency . The date of circulation is January 30, 2013. Archived on February 3, 2013.