EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: EUR 55/04/92

Distr: UA/SC

Further information on EXTRA 33/92 (EUR 55/01/92, 25 March 1992) and follow-ups EUR 55/02/92 of 27 March 1992 and EUR 55/03/92 of 31 March 1992 - Fear of Imminent Execution

AZERBAYDZHANI REPUBLICGrachik PETROSYAN

Gagik ARUTYUNYAN

Arno MKRTCHYAN

Arvid MANGASARYAN

Garnik ARUSTAMYAN

(Names in cyrillic Грачик ПЕТРОСЯН note corrected spelling

Гагик АРУТЮНЯН

Арно МКРТЧЯН

Арвид МАНГАСАРЯН

Гарник АРУСТАМЯН)

Amnesty International has now learned from unofficial sources that a stay of execution for one month has been placed on the death sentences passed on the five men listed above, who were convicted by the Azerbaydzhani Supreme Court on 19 March 1992. The sentences are now due to be carried out on 2 May 1992. The organization has been unable to confirm another report that a sixth man, Garegin Grigoryan, was also sentenced to death at the same trial. There is also a correction to the name of Grachik Petrosyan in cyrillic, which should read Грачик rather than Гарник.

Further details were also given in a report by the Azerbaydzhani newspaper Bakinsky rabochy on 4 March 1992, entitled "The trial of the murderers has begun". This notes that the criminal case, No. 34625, was first 9 January 1991 following the murders of Ms S.A. Askerova, an Azerbaydzhani correspondent, and three military personnel: Lieutenant-Colonel O.M. Larionov, Major I.Yu. Ivanov and Sergeant I.I. Goyek. Eleven Armenians were named as defendants in the trial, which opened on 2 March 1992 before presiding judge R. Allakhverdiyeva.

Amnesty International is opposed to the death penalty in all cases without reservation, and is appealing to the Acting President of the Azerbaydzhani Republic to commute the death sentences passed on Grachik Petrosyan, Gagik Arutyunyan, Arno Mkrtchyan, Arvid Mangasaryan and Garnik Arustamyan. The organization is also concerned that the report in Bakinsky rabochy, referring to the defendants as guilty as charged prior to their conviction, may have prejudiced their right to a fair trial.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send faxes, telegrams, express and airmail letters:

- welcoming the temporary stay of execution granted to Grachik Petrosyan, Gagik Arutyunyan, Arno Mkrtchyan, Arvid Mangasaryan and Garnik Arustamyan;

- urging that these and all other pending death sentences be commuted;

- urging that everyone sentenced to death in Azerbaydzhani Republic be granted the opportunity to appeal to a court of higher jurisdiction, in accordance with internationally agreed human rights standards;

- pointing out that Amnesty International takes no position on territorial disputes, and in these cases is concerned solely with the issue of the death penalty.

APPEALS TO:

1) Acting President of the Azerbaydzhani Republic -Yakub Dzhavad ogly Mamedov:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

370066 g. BakuDear Acting President

ul. Kommunisticheskaya 19

I.O. Prezidenta Mamedovu Ya.

Telegrams: Azerbaydzhan, 370066 Baku, I.O. Prezidenta Mamedovu Ya.D.

2) Head of the Presidential Department of Citizenship and Clemency questions - T. Aslanov:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

370066 g. BakuDear T. Aslanov

ul. Kommunisticheskaya, 19

Otdel po voprosam grazhdanstva i pomilovaniya

pri apparate prezidenta Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki

Zaveduyushchemu otdela Aslanovu T.

Telegrams: Azerbaydzhan, 370066 Baku, Otdel po pomilovaniya pri prezidente, Aslanovu T.

3) Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee - Professor Nadir Mekhtiyev:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

370073 BakuDear Professor Mekhtiyev

Metbuat pros.2

Komitet po pravam cheloveka

Professoru Mekhtiyevu

Telexes:Baku 142199

Faxes:+ 7 8922 38 12 87

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

1) Procurator General of the Azerbaydzhani Republic - Murat Babayev:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

g. Baku

Prokuratura Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki

Generalnomu prokuroru Babayevu M.

2) Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Azerbaydzhani Republic -

Ibragim Isa ogly Ismailov:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

g. Baku

Verkhovny sud Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki

Predsedatelyu Ismailovu I.I.

3) Minister of Justice of the Azerbaydzhani Republic -

Alisaad Saftar ogly Orudzhev:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

370601 g. Baku

pr. Kirova, 13

Ministerstvo yustitsii Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki

Ministru Orudzhevu A.S.

4) Minister of Foreign Affairs of the AzerbaydzhaniRepublic -

Guseynaga Sadykhov:

Azerbaydzhanskaya Respublika

g. Baku

Ministerstvo inostrannykh del Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki

Ministru Sadykhovu G.

and to diplomatic representatives of the Azerbaydzhani Republic in your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY TO ARRIVE IN THE AZERBAYDZHANI REPUBLIC BY 2 MAY 1992.