CE SECRETARY GENERAL SAYS "ANTI-DEMOCRATIC RETREAT" IN ARMENIA INADMISSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net - CE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer appealed to the Armenian leadership to guarantee protection of human rights provided by corresponding international documents, as reported by Council of Europe information office, W. Schwimmer stated in Strasbourg during the meeting with permanent representative of Armenia in CE Christian Ter-Stepanian. "We received incomplete and contradictory information of excessive use of force and detentions of people, including deputies. It there existed the absolute freedom of speech in Armenia we would get the complete picture of the developments", CE Secretary General said. W. Schwimmer stated of the inadmissibility of "anti-democratic retreat" in Armenia. "Living in a democratic country people possess the right to gather and express their opinion even if it criticizes the government and President", he said. "I call all the political forces of Armenia to avoid violence, resume a dialogue and concentrate upon democratic reforms", CE head stated.