Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

U.S. Official Slams Yerevan For 'Brutal' Crackdown

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • U.S. Official Slams Yerevan For 'Brutal' Crackdown

    U.S. OFFICIAL SLAMS YEREVAN FOR 'BRUTAL' CRACKDOWN

    Radio Liberty
    March 11 2008
    Czech Republic

    A senior U.S. official has condemned as "harsh and brutal" the Armenian
    government's post-election crackdown on the opposition and expressed
    serious concern about the continuing mass arrests of supporters of
    opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian.

    "The violence really was deplorable. It seems clear that the reaction
    by the government was harsh and brutal," Deputy Assistant Secretary
    of State Matthew Bryza told The Associated Press Monday, referring
    to the March 1 deadly clashes in Yerevan between security forces and
    thousands of Ter-Petrosian supporters.

    Washington had until then avoided criticizing the use of force against
    opposition protesters that left at least seven of them dead.

    A senior U.S. diplomat said earlier on Monday that the Armenian
    authorities had to forcibly "restore order" after the demonstration
    turned violent.

    Bryza's comments came just three days after he held talks in
    Yerevan with outgoing President Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister and
    President-elect Serzh Sarkisian and Ter-Petrosian in a bid to defuse
    Armenia's worst political crisis in nearly a decade. He pressed the
    Armenian leaders to lift the state of emergency in the capital and
    the resulting severe restrictions on press freedom.

    Kocharian has made it clear, however, that emergency rule will remain
    in force at least until March 20. His security apparatus is continuing
    its unprecedented crackdown on the opposition, with dozens of more
    opposition figures, including Ter-Petrosian's election campaign
    manager, arrested in recent days.

    "It is not only frustrating that the government has imposed
    restrictions on independent media and left in place a state of
    emergency, but also that it has stepped up arrests of opposition
    leaders," Bryza said. "It is crucial that the arrest of opposition
    figures stops."

    The crackdown also prompted concern from one of the two main Armenian
    lobbying organizations in the United States. "The Armenian Assembly
    of America continues to be concerned about the restrictions imposed
    by President Robert Kocharian's Administration, including respect for
    freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, as well as ongoing arrests
    and detentions," the AAA said in a rare statement critical of the
    Yerevan government. "We urge that the basic civil rights protections
    be upheld."

    "We are also keenly aware that the political divisions that have been
    created in Armenia have already begun to impact the Diaspora," warned
    the AAA. "We continue to receive calls from across the country from
    supporters and friends alike who have voiced their strong concerns
    and expectations."

    At least 84 Ter-Petrosian supporters, including two parliament
    deputies, remained in custody as of late Monday. According to
    the Office of the Prosecutor-General, 77 of them have already been
    formally charged with plotting a coup d'etat, organizing "mass riots"
    and other grave crimes.

    Ter-Petrosian's campaign headquarters reported several more arrests
    on Tuesday. An official there, Armen Khachatrian, said the latest
    detainees include Roman Navasardian, Ter-Petrosian's campaign chief
    in the southeastern town of Kapan, and Rafik Asrian, head of the
    local chapter of the Yerkrapah Union of Armenian war veterans.

    Khachatrian told RFE/RL the two men were detained by the police late
    on their way to Yerevan before being driven back to Kapan on Monday
    night. "Based on their role in our election campaign, we have reason
    to believe that they will soon be brought to the National Security
    Service headquarters in Yerevan," he said. "Our law-enforcement
    authorities are operating in such a primitive way that it is easy to
    calculate who will be taken where and charged with what."

    Also arrested on Monday were Ter-Petrosian's national campaign manager,
    Aleksandr Arzumanian, and the chairman of the former ruling Armenian
    Pan-National Movement (HHSh), Ararat Zurabian.

    According to Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian, the authorities are
    preparing to lay criminal charges against Ter-Petrosian as well.

    "Today law-enforcement agencies conducting the investigation already
    have sufficient evidence to instigate criminal action against Levon
    Ter-Petrosian," Danielian told AFP news agency on Monday.

    Asked to comment on this statement, a spokeswoman for the Office
    of the Prosecutor-General said, "The investigative body will make
    appropriate decisions based on evidence obtained by it. I can't say
    who will be charged tomorrow or the day after."

    A spokesman for Ter-Petrosian, for his part, said the former president
    is undaunted by the prospect of his arrest. "This criminal regime is
    prepared for anything," Arman Musinian told RFE/RL. "We will continue
    our struggle in any case."

    (Photolur photo: Bryza pictured with top U.S. Embassy officials during
    his visit to Yerevan last week.)
Working...
X