© 2014, Peace Dialogue; Author: Arthur Manoukyan
On January 28, the day of the anniversary of the Armenian army, a group of parents of the deceased soldiers and the activists of the Army in Reality civil initiative organized a peaceful action in the Freedom Square and once again faced the illegal actions of the police. With brute force the police initially prevented the protesters from entering the Freedom Square and then arrested some citizens who supported the protest: Vardges Gaspari, Ara Nedolyan and an employee of Peace Dialogue NGO Artashes Sergoyan. No legal explanation was given about the police actions to those who were brought to the police department.
Vardges Gaspari who was kept in the police department for three hours demanded the record that was compiled regarding the case, however he was informed that he could have it only after submitting an inquiry. In response to his the consistent demands, the police officers used force against Vardges Gaspari, took him out of the department and left him outside under the pouring rain.
In response to our question on what legal ground the activists were arrested the Yerevan Police Deputy Chief Valeri Osipyan answered that the police actions were carried out for security reasons. According to Osipyan the activists were simply “asked” to leave the area in front of the theatre where a ceremony was to be held to celebrate the day of the Armed Forces, thus the police officers had to take some of the activists to the police department for disobeying the orders of the police.
In response to the question why the police does not consider illegal the actions of the mothers of the soldiers who were standing in the same area as the other protesters, Osipyan answered that the mothers were treated with a special “treatment”. However, perhaps he forgot that a few minutes ago the officers were pushing the same mothers of the soldiers died in non-combat conditions in the Armenian army and preventing their entrance to the square.
The picture described above once again proves that the actions of the RA Police are constantly followed by gross violations of the principles assigned by the RA Legislation and international agreements (right to movement, freedom of expression and assembly). Such treatment towards the RA citizens proves that the RA authorities, despite their numerous announcements, are not inclined to protect the principles of Democracy and respect the rights of the RA citizens.
Peace Dialogue NGO
January 29, 2014
