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'AND INJUSTICE FOR ALL': THE RECENT ATTACKS ON ACTIVISTS IN ARMENIA
http://asbarez.com/113918/%E2%80%98and-injustice-for-all%E2%80%99-the-recent-attacks-on-activists-in-armenia/
Monday, September 16th, 2013
Activists have been gathering in front of Yerevan's municipal building
on a daily basis in peaceful protest
BY VARAK KETSEMANIAN
YEREVAN-For the past 20 days, activists in Yerevan have been staging
protests against corruption, inflation, controversial construction
plans, and President Serzh Sarkisian's recent decision to join the
Russian-led Customs Union, among other issues. They have been met with
violence, by both police officers and organized gangs on the streets.
Observers claim the violent reactions have a common thread. The police
say they are investigating the incidents, but activists are skeptical
about the willingness of the authorities to reveal the perpetrators.
Many protestors affiliated with anti-corruption organizations have
taken to the streets to demand the resignation of two municipality
members-Misak Hambardzumyan, the director of Yerevan Trans, and
Henrik Navasardyan, the chief of the Transport Department-and the
implementation of reforms to diminish widespread corruption. The calls
for resignation are the ultimate manifestation of anti-corruption
and anti-inflation sentiments among the activists, who continue their
peaceful protests by gathering in front of the municipality building
on a daily basis.
Since the first days of the protests, during a period of two weeks
between Aug. 22 and Sept. 5, there have been numerous life-threatening
attacks against activists, including members of such organizations
as Transparency International or the Anti-corruption Center. Many
accuse the police of ignoring the reports filed by the victims, and
failing to carry out proper investigations. One activist who had been
detained by police on multiple occasions claimed they were acting in a
systemized and predetermined manner. The attacks reportedly have some
similarities: They occurred during the night. The victims reported that
once they left the protest scene (the vicinity of the municipality
building) and were a few streets away, a group of 5-10 men-clad in
the same black uniform and armed with blackjacks-approached and asked
whether they had taken part in the municipality protests. After getting
a positive response, the victims were beaten for a couple of minutes.
To cite a few examples, on Sept. 5, political activists Haygag
Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan were attacked by a group of eight men,
resulting in serious injuries, including swelling and nose fractures.
Another case was reported by 21-year-old Arman Aleksanyan, who was
attacked and beaten, with an injury to his head, on the night of Sept.
4. Many other protestors, such as Anushavan Krikorian, Mihran
Markarian, Papken Der-Krikorian, and Mikayel Donoyan, were similarly
attacked and injured during recent days.
Most of the victims claim there is a direct correlation between the
perpetrated attacks and the police department's reluctance to arrest
the criminals. Argishti Kiviryan, the editor of Armenia Today and a
civil activist, told the press that the government in Armenia is using
its two main pillars-the police and the criminal world-to break the
emerging civil activism. Others have voiced their loss of trust in
the police, while some have warned that they will resort to private
means of self-defense.
What has perplexed activists is the fact that most of the victims
say the attacks took place on streets with security cameras, leading
some to believe the police are concealing the sequence of attacks. The
above-mentioned municipality members are seen as the primary culprits
behind the aggression and the attacks. "I have no guarantees today that
while walking in the streets of Yerevan some people won't approach me
and subject me to some kind of violence. I am dealing with political
persecution in terms of my professional and public activities. It
can't be defined as anything else," said Kiviryan.
Meanwhile, tensions increased between the authorities and protesters
when President Sarkisian announced Armenia's decision to join a
Russian-led economic union on Sept. 3. The news led to widespread
condemnation and complaints on behalf of political parties and NGO's
who see the move as a violation of basic democratic principles. In
a Sept. 6 press conference, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
political affairs director Giro Manoyan emphasized that a government
elected by its own people must not take such decisions without the
consent or even the approval of its people and of parliament. In the
days that followed, protesters gathered at the presidential palace
to voice opposition to Armenia's membership in the Custom's Union.
On Sept. 6, demonstrators also gathered outside the Republican Party
headquarters to protest Sarkisian's decision, which they saw as an
attempt to restore the Soviet Union. Police reportedly outnumbered
the journalists and protesters on the scene. Talking to reporters,
Levon Barseghyan said activists are displeased that the public was
not sufficiently informed of the details of the agreement with the
Custom's Union. Clashes between police and activists continued when
the latter attempted to continue their demonstration outside of the
Presidential Palace. Several people were detained.
In light of the ongoing violence, Denis Krivosheev, the Europe and
Central Asia deputy program director of Amnesty International, said
in a press release that the Armenian government must ensure that
the work of the activists is carried out without any obstacles and
interference. Kriovsheev concluded that an impartial investigation
must proceed in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The police force of a given government has the duty to provide
protection against any aggression that may endanger the life of
its citizens. Yet, we are witnessing the exact opposite in Armenia,
where the police are supporting the interests of the ruling elite
at the expense of all other citizens. Are we witnessing a return to
the Hobbesian state of nature, where-in the absence of justice and
a law enforcer-each person is obliged to resort to personal means to
defend himself?
http://asbarez.com/113918/%E2%80%98and-injustice-for-all%E2%80%99-the-recent-attacks-on-activists-in-armenia/
Monday, September 16th, 2013
Activists have been gathering in front of Yerevan's municipal building
on a daily basis in peaceful protest
BY VARAK KETSEMANIAN
YEREVAN-For the past 20 days, activists in Yerevan have been staging
protests against corruption, inflation, controversial construction
plans, and President Serzh Sarkisian's recent decision to join the
Russian-led Customs Union, among other issues. They have been met with
violence, by both police officers and organized gangs on the streets.
Observers claim the violent reactions have a common thread. The police
say they are investigating the incidents, but activists are skeptical
about the willingness of the authorities to reveal the perpetrators.
Many protestors affiliated with anti-corruption organizations have
taken to the streets to demand the resignation of two municipality
members-Misak Hambardzumyan, the director of Yerevan Trans, and
Henrik Navasardyan, the chief of the Transport Department-and the
implementation of reforms to diminish widespread corruption. The calls
for resignation are the ultimate manifestation of anti-corruption
and anti-inflation sentiments among the activists, who continue their
peaceful protests by gathering in front of the municipality building
on a daily basis.
Since the first days of the protests, during a period of two weeks
between Aug. 22 and Sept. 5, there have been numerous life-threatening
attacks against activists, including members of such organizations
as Transparency International or the Anti-corruption Center. Many
accuse the police of ignoring the reports filed by the victims, and
failing to carry out proper investigations. One activist who had been
detained by police on multiple occasions claimed they were acting in a
systemized and predetermined manner. The attacks reportedly have some
similarities: They occurred during the night. The victims reported that
once they left the protest scene (the vicinity of the municipality
building) and were a few streets away, a group of 5-10 men-clad in
the same black uniform and armed with blackjacks-approached and asked
whether they had taken part in the municipality protests. After getting
a positive response, the victims were beaten for a couple of minutes.
To cite a few examples, on Sept. 5, political activists Haygag
Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan were attacked by a group of eight men,
resulting in serious injuries, including swelling and nose fractures.
Another case was reported by 21-year-old Arman Aleksanyan, who was
attacked and beaten, with an injury to his head, on the night of Sept.
4. Many other protestors, such as Anushavan Krikorian, Mihran
Markarian, Papken Der-Krikorian, and Mikayel Donoyan, were similarly
attacked and injured during recent days.
Most of the victims claim there is a direct correlation between the
perpetrated attacks and the police department's reluctance to arrest
the criminals. Argishti Kiviryan, the editor of Armenia Today and a
civil activist, told the press that the government in Armenia is using
its two main pillars-the police and the criminal world-to break the
emerging civil activism. Others have voiced their loss of trust in
the police, while some have warned that they will resort to private
means of self-defense.
What has perplexed activists is the fact that most of the victims
say the attacks took place on streets with security cameras, leading
some to believe the police are concealing the sequence of attacks. The
above-mentioned municipality members are seen as the primary culprits
behind the aggression and the attacks. "I have no guarantees today that
while walking in the streets of Yerevan some people won't approach me
and subject me to some kind of violence. I am dealing with political
persecution in terms of my professional and public activities. It
can't be defined as anything else," said Kiviryan.
Meanwhile, tensions increased between the authorities and protesters
when President Sarkisian announced Armenia's decision to join a
Russian-led economic union on Sept. 3. The news led to widespread
condemnation and complaints on behalf of political parties and NGO's
who see the move as a violation of basic democratic principles. In
a Sept. 6 press conference, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
political affairs director Giro Manoyan emphasized that a government
elected by its own people must not take such decisions without the
consent or even the approval of its people and of parliament. In the
days that followed, protesters gathered at the presidential palace
to voice opposition to Armenia's membership in the Custom's Union.
On Sept. 6, demonstrators also gathered outside the Republican Party
headquarters to protest Sarkisian's decision, which they saw as an
attempt to restore the Soviet Union. Police reportedly outnumbered
the journalists and protesters on the scene. Talking to reporters,
Levon Barseghyan said activists are displeased that the public was
not sufficiently informed of the details of the agreement with the
Custom's Union. Clashes between police and activists continued when
the latter attempted to continue their demonstration outside of the
Presidential Palace. Several people were detained.
In light of the ongoing violence, Denis Krivosheev, the Europe and
Central Asia deputy program director of Amnesty International, said
in a press release that the Armenian government must ensure that
the work of the activists is carried out without any obstacles and
interference. Kriovsheev concluded that an impartial investigation
must proceed in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The police force of a given government has the duty to provide
protection against any aggression that may endanger the life of
its citizens. Yet, we are witnessing the exact opposite in Armenia,
where the police are supporting the interests of the ruling elite
at the expense of all other citizens. Are we witnessing a return to
the Hobbesian state of nature, where-in the absence of justice and
a law enforcer-each person is obliged to resort to personal means to
defend himself?