TIAC Executive Director Sona Ayvazyan addressed a roundtable discussion regarding the implementation of PACE Resolution 1609 (2008) on the amendments to the "Law on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations of the Republic of Armenia" on June 17, 2008 in the venue of the National Citizens' Initiative. She noted that the actions, which the authorities had hastily taken without involvement of the interested parties, were not transparent and created grounds for arbitrariness and discrimination by diminishing human rights.

In the opinion of Artur Sakunts, the head of Helsinki Citizen's Assembly Vanadzor Office, all the actions of the authorities to carry out credible independent investigation on March 1 event regarding the implementation of PACE Resolution 1609 (2008) are imitative in nature and in effect are aimed at covering up the crime. By examining the issue of political pursuits and prisoners, defense attorney Vahe Grigoryan noted that the preliminary investigations and the court trials were conducted with numerous violations of law.

The roundtable discussants also adopted a joint statement wherein they presented their position with respect to Armenia's fulfillment of the terms of the aforesaid resolution. They also decided to petition Raffi K. Hovannisian, leader of the parliament's sole opposition group, formally requesting of him to introduce this statement to the forthcoming PACE session.

For more information see Comments on Implementation of PACE requirements related to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations