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'IF MAR. 1 WERE TO REPEAT': WHY ARMENIA'S AUTHORITIES THINKING ABOUT STATE OF EMERGENCY NOW
epress.am
02.28.2012
In Heritage Party MP Anahit Bakhshyan's opinion, when it comes to
the bill on the rule of law during a state of emergency, amended by
the Armenian government and again put to the National Assembly for
discussion, something just doesn't smell right.
Recall, the bill regulating the rule of law during a state of
emergency allows Armenia's Armed Forces to interfere in the work of
law enforcement agencies to restore order during a state of emergency
if police and national security forces are unable to cope with the
situation.
"Yesterday, in response to the question 'If this law was in effect
on Mar. 1, 2008, how would events develop?' RA Justice Minister
Hrayr Tovmasyan said he is not very well informed of [the events of]
Mar. 1, 2008, and he cannot say. I, as someone who was present during
the events of Mar. 1, can say that this law won't improve anything,
if the authorities try a repeat of Mar. 1. Armed forces will again
enter [the city] as they did [in 2008], news media outlets will be
shut down as they did. There will be a damned situation; there will
be manslaughter. Let me be wrong, but this law won't help so that
the events of Mar. 1 are not repeated," she said.
The opposition MP recalled that head of the parliamentary Standing
Committee on State and Legal Affairs Davit Harutyunyan has said that
adoption of the law is too late and it's because of the upcoming
parliamentary elections that discussion of the law will be accelerated.
"If it's because of the elections that means the authorities are
preparing for a state of emergency. It's a very bad omen," she said.
Bakhshyan pointed out that a state of emergency is declared when there
is an immediate threat to constitutional order in the country, an
attempt at violently overthrowing the government is expected, or there
are mass disorders. The lawmaker then posed a rhetorical question:
"If they're preparing for elections to run normally [smoothly],
then why prepare for brawls?"
"The elections are approaching and the authorities are preparing to say
[to the people], 'Look here, if you want to raise the issue of low
incomes, of your rights, and speak of your complaints, I will bring
in the army and I'll withdraw the armed forces against you," she said.
Recall, mass protests against alleged electoral fraud, organized by
supporters of unsuccessful presidential candidate, first president of
the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian, followed the presidential
election of Feb. 19, 2008, in Armenia. On Mar. 1, 2008, national
police and military forces, called in to disperse the crowds, used
"excessive force and violence" which left 10 people dead and many more
wounded. The circumstances surrounding this fateful day in Armenia's
history have not yet been uncovered.
epress.am
02.28.2012
In Heritage Party MP Anahit Bakhshyan's opinion, when it comes to
the bill on the rule of law during a state of emergency, amended by
the Armenian government and again put to the National Assembly for
discussion, something just doesn't smell right.
Recall, the bill regulating the rule of law during a state of
emergency allows Armenia's Armed Forces to interfere in the work of
law enforcement agencies to restore order during a state of emergency
if police and national security forces are unable to cope with the
situation.
"Yesterday, in response to the question 'If this law was in effect
on Mar. 1, 2008, how would events develop?' RA Justice Minister
Hrayr Tovmasyan said he is not very well informed of [the events of]
Mar. 1, 2008, and he cannot say. I, as someone who was present during
the events of Mar. 1, can say that this law won't improve anything,
if the authorities try a repeat of Mar. 1. Armed forces will again
enter [the city] as they did [in 2008], news media outlets will be
shut down as they did. There will be a damned situation; there will
be manslaughter. Let me be wrong, but this law won't help so that
the events of Mar. 1 are not repeated," she said.
The opposition MP recalled that head of the parliamentary Standing
Committee on State and Legal Affairs Davit Harutyunyan has said that
adoption of the law is too late and it's because of the upcoming
parliamentary elections that discussion of the law will be accelerated.
"If it's because of the elections that means the authorities are
preparing for a state of emergency. It's a very bad omen," she said.
Bakhshyan pointed out that a state of emergency is declared when there
is an immediate threat to constitutional order in the country, an
attempt at violently overthrowing the government is expected, or there
are mass disorders. The lawmaker then posed a rhetorical question:
"If they're preparing for elections to run normally [smoothly],
then why prepare for brawls?"
"The elections are approaching and the authorities are preparing to say
[to the people], 'Look here, if you want to raise the issue of low
incomes, of your rights, and speak of your complaints, I will bring
in the army and I'll withdraw the armed forces against you," she said.
Recall, mass protests against alleged electoral fraud, organized by
supporters of unsuccessful presidential candidate, first president of
the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian, followed the presidential
election of Feb. 19, 2008, in Armenia. On Mar. 1, 2008, national
police and military forces, called in to disperse the crowds, used
"excessive force and violence" which left 10 people dead and many more
wounded. The circumstances surrounding this fateful day in Armenia's
history have not yet been uncovered.