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NGOS DEMAND TENT FOR HUNGER-STRIKING HOVANNISIAN
http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/44480/armvote13_raffi_hovannisian_liberty_square_tent
VOTE 2013 | 15.03.13 | 12:58
A number of nongovernmental organizations have circulated an appeal
to Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan to stop his subordinates from
obstructing the installation of a tent for a hunger-striking former
presidential candidate in Yerevan.
Raffi Hovannisian, the leader of the Heritage Party who is disputing
the election victory of President Serzh Sargsyan, has been stationed
around a bench in Liberty Square in the Armenian capital on a 24/7
basis since Sunday. In what the Ombudsman's Office said constituted a
violation of human rights, law-enforcement authorities have prohibited
Hovannisian's supporters from putting up a tent in the square. The
latest attempt by opposition members and civil activists to have
the facility installed on Thursday resulted in a scuffle between
protesters and police officers.
Two dozen NGOs, including Helsinki Citizens' Assembly-Vanadzor, the
Journalists' Club "Asparez", Transparency International Anti-corruption
Center, the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, the Women's Resource
Center, Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech, and others,
have issued a statement today calling on Chief of Police Gasparyan
to immediately terminate the "illegal actions" of his subordinates
and call to account those who have been carrying them out, as well
as ensure the installation of the tent for Hovannisian.
"We think that such a working style of the police only aggravates
the situation and puts the police in a position of bearing full
responsibility for possible undesirable consequences in the future,"
the NGOs emphasized.
http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/44480/armvote13_raffi_hovannisian_liberty_square_tent
VOTE 2013 | 15.03.13 | 12:58
A number of nongovernmental organizations have circulated an appeal
to Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan to stop his subordinates from
obstructing the installation of a tent for a hunger-striking former
presidential candidate in Yerevan.
Raffi Hovannisian, the leader of the Heritage Party who is disputing
the election victory of President Serzh Sargsyan, has been stationed
around a bench in Liberty Square in the Armenian capital on a 24/7
basis since Sunday. In what the Ombudsman's Office said constituted a
violation of human rights, law-enforcement authorities have prohibited
Hovannisian's supporters from putting up a tent in the square. The
latest attempt by opposition members and civil activists to have
the facility installed on Thursday resulted in a scuffle between
protesters and police officers.
Two dozen NGOs, including Helsinki Citizens' Assembly-Vanadzor, the
Journalists' Club "Asparez", Transparency International Anti-corruption
Center, the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, the Women's Resource
Center, Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech, and others,
have issued a statement today calling on Chief of Police Gasparyan
to immediately terminate the "illegal actions" of his subordinates
and call to account those who have been carrying them out, as well
as ensure the installation of the tent for Hovannisian.
"We think that such a working style of the police only aggravates
the situation and puts the police in a position of bearing full
responsibility for possible undesirable consequences in the future,"
the NGOs emphasized.