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CHANGING THE GUARD?: MAJOR POLICE RESHUFFLING LINKED TO APRIL 9 PROTEST HANDLING
http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45383/armenia_yerevan_police_reshuffle_vladimir_gasparya n_nerses_nazaryan
POLITICS | 17.04.13 | 10:38
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
A week after the controversial and dramatic events of April 9 when a
major opposition protest took place in Yerevan the city's Police
Chief Nerses Nazaryan has been dismissed from his job in what many
immediately saw a link to his actions on that day.
Some local media have even made far-reaching assumptions that on April
9 - the day of President Serzh Sargsyan's inauguration and culmination
of opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian's protests - the authorities
managed to prevent a 'coup d'etat' within the government circles
themselves - something that would allegedly have been committed with
Nazaryan's assistance and presumably organized by Armenia's second
President Robert Kocharyan.
"In fact, [Chief of Police] Vladimir Gasparyan had 'exposed' the
attempted coup that was planned for April 9, when the situation could
get out of control in Baghramyan Avenue and lead to clashes with the
police with unforeseen consequences or perhaps quite predictable ones,"
wrote a Lragir.am analyst in relation to the development.
Another version presented in the media is that Gasparyan, hailed as a
hero of the day for preventing major clashes between riot police and
protesters, has thus managed to get rid of a subordinate, who had held
the post for a decade, and with whom he was in strained relations. And
he did so 'legitimately', over the mistakes that Nazaryan presumably
in policing the avenue where the Presidential Palace is located on
April 9.
Media have always ascribed to Nazaryan ambitions of becoming the next
chief of police, something that he himself has repeatedly denied,
though. Interestingly, the official police website did not publish
any information regarding the latest reshuffling on Tuesday, when it
was clearly an accomplished fact already. Gasparyan, meanwhile, in an
interview with Lragir.am denied any tension between him and Nazaryan.
"As a rule no one strains his relations with me, particularly my
subordinates," said Gasparyan, still hinting that he was dissatisfied
with Nazaryan's work.
Meanwhile, the opposition Heritage party, whose leader Raffi
Hovannisian led the post-election protests, has positively evaluated
the dismissal of Nazaryan.
"I think his actions [on April 9] were not adequate to the situation,
and if that's the reason for his dismissal, then I think it is
positive. If there are other reasons, then I cannot comment on that,"
Heritage's deputy chairman Armen Martirosyan told ArmeniaNow.
Martirosyan was beaten up by riot police and suffered a broken nose
on April 9. He was among several protesters who were briefly detained
and taken to police precincts that day.
The opposition march towards the Presidential Palace last week was
stopped at the approaches to Baghramyan Avenue by several rows of
police in riot gear. Some protesters threw rocks at security personnel
and some clashes occurred between citizens and police officers in the
first row. Heritage later said those citizens were rather plainclothes
police personnel tasked with organizing provocations.
Tensions relatively calmed when Chief of Police Gasparyan arrived at
the scene to start negotiations with opposition leader Hovannisian.
Before that, the police actions were coordinated by Nazaryan. As a
result of the negotiations a group of protesters led by Hovannisian
and accompanied by Gasparyan went to Tsitsernakaberd, a hilltop
Genocide Memorial, which took some of the tension off Baghramyan
Avenue. Later that night Gasparyan ordered to remove the police
cordons and let protesters march through the thoroughfare. A video by
RFE/RL's Armenian Service shows Gasparyan ordering Nazaryan to open
up the street. In a threatening tone the chief of police repeatedly
said, "Nersik, I am telling you, open it". This shows that Nazaryan
apparently tried to confront his superior's command.
Heritage Party member Stepan Safaryan, analyzing the events of April 9,
wrote on his Facebook account several days later: "What program was
Nersik Nazaryan trying to accomplish that was prevented by Vladimir
Gasparyan and that was sensed and seen by Raffi Hovannisian? Before
Vladimir Gasparyan arrived at the scene by running Raffi Hovannisian
and all his companions had already been isolated from the first
line as police groups were taking them "hostage" and leading away
to a police station or away from the police barricades. The figures
who could somehow control the protesting people had been isolated,
our guys who tried to confront the provocateurs were themselves
taken to police stations. A March 1 deja vu?... There were no longer
leaders there, the place teemed with provocateurs, the protesters were
fuming and passions were running high. Who would be carrying out the
operation? Nersik Nazaryan? That's why the police chief was running
to the place. I have no doubt that he had been watching online what
the police were recording and streaming live. It becomes clearer what
Raffi Hovannisian realized and what he did not make as the next step
together with the people."
http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45383/armenia_yerevan_police_reshuffle_vladimir_gasparya n_nerses_nazaryan
POLITICS | 17.04.13 | 10:38
Photolure
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
A week after the controversial and dramatic events of April 9 when a
major opposition protest took place in Yerevan the city's Police
Chief Nerses Nazaryan has been dismissed from his job in what many
immediately saw a link to his actions on that day.
Some local media have even made far-reaching assumptions that on April
9 - the day of President Serzh Sargsyan's inauguration and culmination
of opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian's protests - the authorities
managed to prevent a 'coup d'etat' within the government circles
themselves - something that would allegedly have been committed with
Nazaryan's assistance and presumably organized by Armenia's second
President Robert Kocharyan.
"In fact, [Chief of Police] Vladimir Gasparyan had 'exposed' the
attempted coup that was planned for April 9, when the situation could
get out of control in Baghramyan Avenue and lead to clashes with the
police with unforeseen consequences or perhaps quite predictable ones,"
wrote a Lragir.am analyst in relation to the development.
Another version presented in the media is that Gasparyan, hailed as a
hero of the day for preventing major clashes between riot police and
protesters, has thus managed to get rid of a subordinate, who had held
the post for a decade, and with whom he was in strained relations. And
he did so 'legitimately', over the mistakes that Nazaryan presumably
in policing the avenue where the Presidential Palace is located on
April 9.
Media have always ascribed to Nazaryan ambitions of becoming the next
chief of police, something that he himself has repeatedly denied,
though. Interestingly, the official police website did not publish
any information regarding the latest reshuffling on Tuesday, when it
was clearly an accomplished fact already. Gasparyan, meanwhile, in an
interview with Lragir.am denied any tension between him and Nazaryan.
"As a rule no one strains his relations with me, particularly my
subordinates," said Gasparyan, still hinting that he was dissatisfied
with Nazaryan's work.
Meanwhile, the opposition Heritage party, whose leader Raffi
Hovannisian led the post-election protests, has positively evaluated
the dismissal of Nazaryan.
"I think his actions [on April 9] were not adequate to the situation,
and if that's the reason for his dismissal, then I think it is
positive. If there are other reasons, then I cannot comment on that,"
Heritage's deputy chairman Armen Martirosyan told ArmeniaNow.
Martirosyan was beaten up by riot police and suffered a broken nose
on April 9. He was among several protesters who were briefly detained
and taken to police precincts that day.
The opposition march towards the Presidential Palace last week was
stopped at the approaches to Baghramyan Avenue by several rows of
police in riot gear. Some protesters threw rocks at security personnel
and some clashes occurred between citizens and police officers in the
first row. Heritage later said those citizens were rather plainclothes
police personnel tasked with organizing provocations.
Tensions relatively calmed when Chief of Police Gasparyan arrived at
the scene to start negotiations with opposition leader Hovannisian.
Before that, the police actions were coordinated by Nazaryan. As a
result of the negotiations a group of protesters led by Hovannisian
and accompanied by Gasparyan went to Tsitsernakaberd, a hilltop
Genocide Memorial, which took some of the tension off Baghramyan
Avenue. Later that night Gasparyan ordered to remove the police
cordons and let protesters march through the thoroughfare. A video by
RFE/RL's Armenian Service shows Gasparyan ordering Nazaryan to open
up the street. In a threatening tone the chief of police repeatedly
said, "Nersik, I am telling you, open it". This shows that Nazaryan
apparently tried to confront his superior's command.
Heritage Party member Stepan Safaryan, analyzing the events of April 9,
wrote on his Facebook account several days later: "What program was
Nersik Nazaryan trying to accomplish that was prevented by Vladimir
Gasparyan and that was sensed and seen by Raffi Hovannisian? Before
Vladimir Gasparyan arrived at the scene by running Raffi Hovannisian
and all his companions had already been isolated from the first
line as police groups were taking them "hostage" and leading away
to a police station or away from the police barricades. The figures
who could somehow control the protesting people had been isolated,
our guys who tried to confront the provocateurs were themselves
taken to police stations. A March 1 deja vu?... There were no longer
leaders there, the place teemed with provocateurs, the protesters were
fuming and passions were running high. Who would be carrying out the
operation? Nersik Nazaryan? That's why the police chief was running
to the place. I have no doubt that he had been watching online what
the police were recording and streaming live. It becomes clearer what
Raffi Hovannisian realized and what he did not make as the next step
together with the people."