Armenia: rights defenders warn policemen and protesters against using violence

Armenian policemen behave unprofessionally when using disproportionate force against protesters, the human rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 28, oppositionists held marches to Yerevan from the Armavir and Aragatsotn Regions, demanding resignation of Premier Pashinyan and his government. During the marches in Yerevan, 39 activists were detained.

Kristine Grigoryan, the Armenian Ombudsperson, has stated that law enforcers use disproportionate force against activists. Employees from her office met with the detained protesters at the police and fixed a number of violations, Ms Grigoryan's report has stated. Thus, physical force was applied to them; no claims were put forward to the detainees, as well as the grounds and reasons for their detention, the Ombudsperson has stated.

Nina Karapetyants, the head of the Helsinki Association of Armenia, believes that the force used against activists by policemen is disproportionate. "This was expected, because the system has not changed in the country. This is how it was intended: authorities have realized that such a police force, which uses disproportionate violence, would be in need in certain situations and would do what they are ordered to," she told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In this way, authorities want to intimidate people so that they do not go out and join protesters, Ms Karapetyants has suggested.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 28, 2022 at 11:54 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.