<p>PFA Watch List brings to public&rsquo;s attention controversial legislative initiatives, government decisions, legal proceedings, and behavior of public officials with implications for developmental policy design and implementation in Armenia. PFA&rsquo;s commentary will be limited only to how these controversial actions are likely to impact the policy design and conduct. This tool is intended to generate awareness to help formulate alternative views and shape public opinion.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Objection!: Human rights activists irritated by President&rsquo;s pa</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="white_bgr" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Arial, Helvetica; " width="800"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; "><table border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; " valign="top" width="478"><table border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td height="100%" id="content" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; " valign="top"><div class="tx-wecdiscussion-pi1" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; "><div class="tx-wecdiscussion-page" style="width: 422px; max-width: 700px; min-width: 350px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="tx-wecdiscussion-mainContent" style="width: 422px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><div class="tx-wecdiscussion-forumMessage" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', Georgia, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 3px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><p class="bodytext" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; ">Representatives of several human rights organizations in Armenia sent an open letter to the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) expressing their discontent over the fact that the honor of opening the FIDH Yerevan Forum has been given to Serzh Sargsyan.&nbsp;<br /><br />The authors of the letter state that the results of the 2008 Presidential elections, disputed by peaceful rallies of thousands of people, were altered by brutal force deepening the public suspicions that were aroused on the election day.&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Under these circumstances, it is beyond our understanding how and why the honor of opening the FIDH Yerevan Forum has been reserved for Serzh Sargsyan who continues to govern the Republic of Armenia with doubtful legitimacy,&rdquo; the open letter says.&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;JUSTICE: New Challenges - the Right to an Effective Remedy before an Independent Tribunal&rdquo; will take place in Yerevan, Armenia from 6th to 8th April, 2010, followed by the FIDH 37th congress. www.fidh.org&nbsp;<br /><br />Participation in the congress is limited to FIDH member delegations from 105 countries; whereas, the forum is open for everyone.&nbsp;<br /><br />The open letter is signed by Melissa Brown (Wives of Armenia&#39;s Political Prisoners (Shahkhatun)), Mikael Danielyan (Head of Helsinki Association), Artak Zeynalyan (representative of Jurists Against Torture Organization), Andranik Kocharyan (member of Fact-Finding Group on the events of March 1st, 2008), Anna Zhamkochyan (representative of &lsquo;Socioscop&rsquo; NGO), lawyer Ara Ghazaryan, and writer-publicist Tigran Paskevichyan.&nbsp;<br /><br />They also mention that if these people are to participate in a forum organized by such an authoritative organization as FIDH, then it should be only in order to be called to account.&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;They must explain why they falsify elections, why they persecute politicians and people with political points of views, they must explain why they came to power at the cost of ten people&rsquo;s lives,&rdquo; the letter says.&nbsp;<br /><br />Mikael Danielyan, Head of Helsinki Association in Armenia, told ArmeniaNow that they have not gotten a response from FIDH yet, and he could not say for sure whether the Federation would take their considerations into account or not.</p><p class="bodytext" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; ">by ArmeniaNow.com</p></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p>&nbsp;</p>