YEREVAN, JANUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The extraction of applications for pardon from political prisoners is nothing else than demanding a ransom for freedom in exchange for renunciation of their political views and admission of the crimes they did not commit. This mode of action may in no way help overcome the deepening political crisis, it will deepen the estrangement between the society and the authorities," is said in the January 7 statement of the Armenian National Congress (ANC). Reminding that political prisoners Grigor Voskerchian, Gevorg Manukian and Armen Khurshudian were subjected to beating in their prison cells on December 23 - the day of a regular court sitting on "the case of the seven", the ANC said that the aim of this action is to break the spirit of political prisoners and force them to hand in applications for pardon. Condemning this "this next in turn cowardly and mean action" of the authorities, the ANC demands that criminal proceedings be initiated in connection with each case and all those guilty be punished.

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