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ARFD: FOUNDING PARLIAMENT'S PERSISTENCE TO HOLD PROTEST ACTIONS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS NOT CLEAR
by Ashot Safaryan
Monday, February 2, 13:05
Some forces may use the incident in Berdzor to drive a hedge between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the secretary of the parliamentary
group of the ARFD Aghvan Vardanyan told journalists on Monday.
He said that the goals, the slogan and the behavior of the Founding
Parliament are not acceptable to the ARFD.
"By using 'The 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide without
the Ruling Regime' slogan, they have made this tragic date as an
instrument for solving some internal political disputes. On the
contrary, we must use this date to consolidate our nation. We also
wonder why the organizers of the action ignored the urges of people
from Nagorno-Karabakh not to hold such an action now that the tension
on the contact line is high," Vardanyan said.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the police should not have
used force. "This is unacceptable as some forces can use this for
driving a hedge between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," Vardanyan said.
To recall, representatives of the Founding Parliament, including
Zhirayr Sefilyan, an Artsakh War veteran, were severely beaten up on
their way to Karabakh, near Berdzor. With such7 measures the Karabakh
Police tried to prevent the car rally in Artsakh. The rally is part of
the Movement "Centennial Without the Regime" that seeks a power shift
in Armenia ahead of the Armenian Genocide centennial. Members of the
Founding Parliament say many of the police officers who attacked them
were wearing civilian cloths. They say the police officers dragged
them out from their cars and severely beaten up with rubber sticks.
Many of the beaten up activists were taken to the Stepanakert
Hospital. Sefilyan was hospitalized in grave condition too.
Meanwhile, the Karabakh Police disseminated a statement saying they
allegedly acted within the law. They said that the car rally had
garnered a "negative response from wide segments of the public
in Artsakh" and unknown individuals had decided to prevent the
participants of the car rally from entering the territory of Nagorno
Karabakh.
The statement went on to say that given these circumstances and
possible violations of public order, the NKR police had placed units
along several sections of the Goris-Stepanakert highway. They said
that the participants of the car rally were asked by police officers
stationed on the highway to turn back because their initiative could
cause "social tension" in Artsakh. "However, several participants of
the car rally, opposing our request, resorted to illegal activities
and continued provocations, even after warnings to desist by police,"
the statement read. "To prevent possible mass unrest, the police of NKR
were forced to resort to corresponding measures conferred to them by
law. Sadly, there were injuries, however no one's life is in danger."
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=08E7C870-AAC3-11E4-82010EB7C0D21663
by Ashot Safaryan
Monday, February 2, 13:05
Some forces may use the incident in Berdzor to drive a hedge between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the secretary of the parliamentary
group of the ARFD Aghvan Vardanyan told journalists on Monday.
He said that the goals, the slogan and the behavior of the Founding
Parliament are not acceptable to the ARFD.
"By using 'The 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide without
the Ruling Regime' slogan, they have made this tragic date as an
instrument for solving some internal political disputes. On the
contrary, we must use this date to consolidate our nation. We also
wonder why the organizers of the action ignored the urges of people
from Nagorno-Karabakh not to hold such an action now that the tension
on the contact line is high," Vardanyan said.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the police should not have
used force. "This is unacceptable as some forces can use this for
driving a hedge between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," Vardanyan said.
To recall, representatives of the Founding Parliament, including
Zhirayr Sefilyan, an Artsakh War veteran, were severely beaten up on
their way to Karabakh, near Berdzor. With such7 measures the Karabakh
Police tried to prevent the car rally in Artsakh. The rally is part of
the Movement "Centennial Without the Regime" that seeks a power shift
in Armenia ahead of the Armenian Genocide centennial. Members of the
Founding Parliament say many of the police officers who attacked them
were wearing civilian cloths. They say the police officers dragged
them out from their cars and severely beaten up with rubber sticks.
Many of the beaten up activists were taken to the Stepanakert
Hospital. Sefilyan was hospitalized in grave condition too.
Meanwhile, the Karabakh Police disseminated a statement saying they
allegedly acted within the law. They said that the car rally had
garnered a "negative response from wide segments of the public
in Artsakh" and unknown individuals had decided to prevent the
participants of the car rally from entering the territory of Nagorno
Karabakh.
The statement went on to say that given these circumstances and
possible violations of public order, the NKR police had placed units
along several sections of the Goris-Stepanakert highway. They said
that the participants of the car rally were asked by police officers
stationed on the highway to turn back because their initiative could
cause "social tension" in Artsakh. "However, several participants of
the car rally, opposing our request, resorted to illegal activities
and continued provocations, even after warnings to desist by police,"
the statement read. "To prevent possible mass unrest, the police of NKR
were forced to resort to corresponding measures conferred to them by
law. Sadly, there were injuries, however no one's life is in danger."
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=08E7C870-AAC3-11E4-82010EB7C0D21663