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POLICE ARE BEHAVING OUTSIDE THE FRAME OF THE LAW: WHAT COULD HAPPEN DURING OPPOSITION RALLIES
02.16.2015 21:07 epress.am
The parents of dead soldiers, who were subject to violence by the
police during a peaceful protest in front of the Presidential Palace
on February 11, were told at the police that the officers present had
acted properly and "could have used their batons as well," said Gohar
Ohanjanyan, mother of late Tigran Ohanjanyan, during a Media Center
discussion today. According to the woman, they wished to meet with
Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan, however after they received such an
answer from a police representative named Hakobyan, they decided to
leave the building.
Referring to the incident on February 11, Defense of Rights Without
Borders NGO president Haykuhi Harutyunyan said that no such law can be
cited to justify the police for hauling demonstrators from one sidewalk
to another. "The republic's president made a statement just a few days
earlier about fighting against violence, eliminating illegalities,
and the will to fight against all types of violations that appear. I
don't think we've had a more obvious and appropriate case lately
where these words could be turned into action," said Harutyunyan,
adding that those who made the command needed to be held accountable.
During the discussion, Helsinki Committee President, human rights
defender Avetik Ishkhanyan expressed conviction that because the
command giver and punisher was the same person, no police officer would
be held responsible. "You think that police officers are violent from
birth? No. This was a command," said Iskhanyan.
Speaking of the police actions during the protests in recent years,
the human rights defender noted that the situation had become tense
especially after 2013; while the peak was reached when the Russian
president visited Armenia, when hundreds of people were detained.
Ishkhanyan said that such behavior was probably the result of a
political orientation.
"Armenia was relatively restrained in regards to human rights, because
Europe's opinion was very important. Probably, one of the reasons
for the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) membership is that these those
values are entirely missing from those states," said Ishkhanyan.
According to him, another reason is the current situation in Ukraine;
"When the civilized world's attention is on a hot spot, they don't
take into consideration the law and act violently."
According to Ishkhanyan, both Armenian and international law state
that if a demonstration is peaceful, even if it's restricted, the
police do not have the right to intervene, but rather have to be the
peace keepers of the peaceful protest.
The human rights defender expressed concern over the opposition rallies
in the coming days, noting that if during simple public demonstrations,
which do not present any threat to the authorities, the police behave
outside the frame of the law, then the opposition rally can result in
serious consequences, including the existence of political prisoners.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/16/police-are-behaving-outside-the-frame-of-the-law-what-could-happen-during-opposition-rallies.html
02.16.2015 21:07 epress.am
The parents of dead soldiers, who were subject to violence by the
police during a peaceful protest in front of the Presidential Palace
on February 11, were told at the police that the officers present had
acted properly and "could have used their batons as well," said Gohar
Ohanjanyan, mother of late Tigran Ohanjanyan, during a Media Center
discussion today. According to the woman, they wished to meet with
Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan, however after they received such an
answer from a police representative named Hakobyan, they decided to
leave the building.
Referring to the incident on February 11, Defense of Rights Without
Borders NGO president Haykuhi Harutyunyan said that no such law can be
cited to justify the police for hauling demonstrators from one sidewalk
to another. "The republic's president made a statement just a few days
earlier about fighting against violence, eliminating illegalities,
and the will to fight against all types of violations that appear. I
don't think we've had a more obvious and appropriate case lately
where these words could be turned into action," said Harutyunyan,
adding that those who made the command needed to be held accountable.
During the discussion, Helsinki Committee President, human rights
defender Avetik Ishkhanyan expressed conviction that because the
command giver and punisher was the same person, no police officer would
be held responsible. "You think that police officers are violent from
birth? No. This was a command," said Iskhanyan.
Speaking of the police actions during the protests in recent years,
the human rights defender noted that the situation had become tense
especially after 2013; while the peak was reached when the Russian
president visited Armenia, when hundreds of people were detained.
Ishkhanyan said that such behavior was probably the result of a
political orientation.
"Armenia was relatively restrained in regards to human rights, because
Europe's opinion was very important. Probably, one of the reasons
for the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) membership is that these those
values are entirely missing from those states," said Ishkhanyan.
According to him, another reason is the current situation in Ukraine;
"When the civilized world's attention is on a hot spot, they don't
take into consideration the law and act violently."
According to Ishkhanyan, both Armenian and international law state
that if a demonstration is peaceful, even if it's restricted, the
police do not have the right to intervene, but rather have to be the
peace keepers of the peaceful protest.
The human rights defender expressed concern over the opposition rallies
in the coming days, noting that if during simple public demonstrations,
which do not present any threat to the authorities, the police behave
outside the frame of the law, then the opposition rally can result in
serious consequences, including the existence of political prisoners.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/16/police-are-behaving-outside-the-frame-of-the-law-what-could-happen-during-opposition-rallies.html