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Armenian NGOs adopt statement about the acts of intimidation towards
Armenian civic activists
by Emmanuil Lazarian
Saturday, September 7, 16:06
Over 30 Armenian NGOs have adopted a statement about the acts of
intimidation towards Armenian civic activists.
The statement says, "On September 5, 2013 around 22:10-22:20, in the
neighborhood of Koghbatsi Street of Yerevan, a few steps away from the
RA State Revenue Committee, near his garage Haykak Arshamyan, Project
Coordinator of Yerevan Press Club, and Suren Saghatelyan, Board member
of Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, were brutally
attacked by 6-7 unknown men. Haykak Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan
were hospitalized with severe injuries, contusion and fractures. The
two civic activists are public figures and carry out their social
activities within a legal framework.
Yerevan Press Club and Transparency International Anti-Corruption
Center are actively involved in the activities of the Eastern
Partnership Civil Society Forum. Haykak Arshamyan during the last two
days largely participated in the civic protests against the
announcement made by Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow regarding Armenia's
decision to join the Customs Union, which took place in front of the
RA presidential residence and the headquarters of the Republican Party
of Armenia.
We, the undersigned, assess the attack as an act of intimidation aimed
at all those, who have raised a voice of protest against the Armenian
authorities, including NGOs, independent media, public figures and
active citizens. We consider this to be a consequence of the
prevailing climate of impunity in Armenia, human rights violations,
selective law enforcement, the usual practice of political
prosecution, the manifestation of which we have also witnessed during
the recent days, as repressions were used against activists protesting
the controversial construction work at Komitas Street 5 and in front
of the Yerevan municipality.
We declare that the full responsibility for this act of intimidation
falls on the authorities of Armenia, particularly the law enforcement
bodies. If this crime is not solved as soon as possible, it will allow
us to declare that this act of violence is directly sponsored by the
Armenian authorities.
We urge the civil society and all the free citizens to remain strong,
not to retreat before the hired thugs and their patrons, to continue
the struggle for their personal rights and freedoms.
As of now the statement is signed by: "Asparez" Journalists' Club,
Yerevan Press Club, "Protection Of Consumers' Rights" NGO, Eurasia
Partnership Foundation, Media Initiatives Center (Formerly Internews
Armenia), Open Society Foundations-Armenia, Media Diversity
Institute-Armenia, "Shirak Center" NGO, "We Plus" NGO, "Arena For
Education" NGO, Martuni Women's Community Council NGO, Armenian
Helsinki Committee, "Trtu" NGO, Urban Foundation For Sustainable
Development, "Victims Of State Needs" NGO, National Citizen's
Initiative NGO, Civic Initiatives Support Center NGO, Children's
Support Foundation, Civic Forum NGO, Regional Studies Center NGO,
Committee To Protect Freedom Of Expression, "Democracy And Electoral
Processes" NGO, "Farmers' Movement" NGO, Vanadzor Branch Of Helsinki
Citizens Assembly, Protection Of Rights Without Borders, Harmonic
Society - Armenian Association Of Social Workers, "Rule Of Law" NGO,
Urbanlab Yerevan Architect's Lab, Women's' Resource Center, Social And
Cultural Innovation Lab Charitable Foundation (Skilfound), "Free
University" Foundation, "Khoranard" Intellectual Center, "Biosophia"
Health, Environmental And Agriculture, Development Center, Shirak
Branch Of Sakharov Armenian Center, For Human Rights Protection,
"Journalists For The Future" NGO
The statement is open for signatures.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectidþ487E10-17B5-11E3-9C1B0EB7C0D21663
Armenian civic activists
by Emmanuil Lazarian
Saturday, September 7, 16:06
Over 30 Armenian NGOs have adopted a statement about the acts of
intimidation towards Armenian civic activists.
The statement says, "On September 5, 2013 around 22:10-22:20, in the
neighborhood of Koghbatsi Street of Yerevan, a few steps away from the
RA State Revenue Committee, near his garage Haykak Arshamyan, Project
Coordinator of Yerevan Press Club, and Suren Saghatelyan, Board member
of Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, were brutally
attacked by 6-7 unknown men. Haykak Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan
were hospitalized with severe injuries, contusion and fractures. The
two civic activists are public figures and carry out their social
activities within a legal framework.
Yerevan Press Club and Transparency International Anti-Corruption
Center are actively involved in the activities of the Eastern
Partnership Civil Society Forum. Haykak Arshamyan during the last two
days largely participated in the civic protests against the
announcement made by Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow regarding Armenia's
decision to join the Customs Union, which took place in front of the
RA presidential residence and the headquarters of the Republican Party
of Armenia.
We, the undersigned, assess the attack as an act of intimidation aimed
at all those, who have raised a voice of protest against the Armenian
authorities, including NGOs, independent media, public figures and
active citizens. We consider this to be a consequence of the
prevailing climate of impunity in Armenia, human rights violations,
selective law enforcement, the usual practice of political
prosecution, the manifestation of which we have also witnessed during
the recent days, as repressions were used against activists protesting
the controversial construction work at Komitas Street 5 and in front
of the Yerevan municipality.
We declare that the full responsibility for this act of intimidation
falls on the authorities of Armenia, particularly the law enforcement
bodies. If this crime is not solved as soon as possible, it will allow
us to declare that this act of violence is directly sponsored by the
Armenian authorities.
We urge the civil society and all the free citizens to remain strong,
not to retreat before the hired thugs and their patrons, to continue
the struggle for their personal rights and freedoms.
As of now the statement is signed by: "Asparez" Journalists' Club,
Yerevan Press Club, "Protection Of Consumers' Rights" NGO, Eurasia
Partnership Foundation, Media Initiatives Center (Formerly Internews
Armenia), Open Society Foundations-Armenia, Media Diversity
Institute-Armenia, "Shirak Center" NGO, "We Plus" NGO, "Arena For
Education" NGO, Martuni Women's Community Council NGO, Armenian
Helsinki Committee, "Trtu" NGO, Urban Foundation For Sustainable
Development, "Victims Of State Needs" NGO, National Citizen's
Initiative NGO, Civic Initiatives Support Center NGO, Children's
Support Foundation, Civic Forum NGO, Regional Studies Center NGO,
Committee To Protect Freedom Of Expression, "Democracy And Electoral
Processes" NGO, "Farmers' Movement" NGO, Vanadzor Branch Of Helsinki
Citizens Assembly, Protection Of Rights Without Borders, Harmonic
Society - Armenian Association Of Social Workers, "Rule Of Law" NGO,
Urbanlab Yerevan Architect's Lab, Women's' Resource Center, Social And
Cultural Innovation Lab Charitable Foundation (Skilfound), "Free
University" Foundation, "Khoranard" Intellectual Center, "Biosophia"
Health, Environmental And Agriculture, Development Center, Shirak
Branch Of Sakharov Armenian Center, For Human Rights Protection,
"Journalists For The Future" NGO
The statement is open for signatures.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectidþ487E10-17B5-11E3-9C1B0EB7C0D21663