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GYUMRI TRAGEDY AFTERMATH: ACTIVISTS DENOUNCE HARSH POLICE RESPONSE TO PROTESTS, QUESTION MURDER INVESTIGATION
Society | 16.01.15 | 15:42
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Several days after the brutal murder of a six-member family in Gyumri
discussions over the crime do not stop and unanswered questions
continue to cause protests in Armenia.
On Thursday till late night thousands of protesters in Gyumri stayed
up demanding that the suspect of the January 12 murder case, Russian
102nd military base serviceman Valeri Permyakov should be handed over
to Armenian law-enforcement bodies.
Yesterday at a protest in Gyumri there were clashes between the police
and protesters, as a result 26 are reported to have been hospitalized
and 16 among them - police officers, 21 others were taken to the
police station.
Meanwhile, in the evening in Liberty Square in Yerevan a spontaneous
protest took place in support of Gyumri protesters, however, there
again there were clashes between citizens and the police, and 38
people were arrested.
Rule of Law NGO co-founder Artak Zeynalyan on Friday told reporters
that people are indignant and protest against injustice.
"The version that the suspect was thirsty, that the gate was open
and he entered, threatened and started shooting everyone is not
convincing, and this viewpoint was heard while he was under Russian
control. It is suspicious that this is the motive, that's why it is
very important for us that the neutral side runs the investigation,"
the human rights activist said.
Armenian Helsinki Committee leader Avetik Ishkhanyan said that
arresting those protesting in Liberty Square was another manifestation
of arbitrariness.
"In the evening, when people gathered in Liberty Square, around a
hundred people, they were peacefully watching videos from Gyumri,
speaking, without any calls, but a manhunt took place, those who were
holding the national flag were arrested first, there is no other word
but arbitrariness to describe this," the human rights activist said.
Heritage Party MP Tevan Poghosyan addressed the case saying that if the
case was a legal one in the beginning, it is completely political now.
"It is political, because it became a problem of international
relations; at least one international treaty was violated in Armenia,
upon which any boarder guard was supposed to hand over any trespasser,
especially the one in civilian clothes and with no documents to the
Armenian side. We spoke much about the 4th, 5th and 8th provisions
of the treaty, but in that same treaty there is another provision as
well, which says that in case of such occurrences, when both sides
have problems, a joint committee is formed and the place is Yerevan,
together it is discussed, however, nothing is said about this," the
MP said, adding that it is not clear for him why no mourning days are
declared, because in that case it might have been a message for the
people of how Armenia treats its citizens, and maybe our population
would have regained the feeling of trust.
Poghosyan also said that there is an initiative in the National
Assembly to call a joint meeting of four committees to try to discuss
all events and understand what should be done.
http://armenianow.com/society/59885/armenia_gyumri_yerevan_protests_family_murder_russ ia
Society | 16.01.15 | 15:42
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Several days after the brutal murder of a six-member family in Gyumri
discussions over the crime do not stop and unanswered questions
continue to cause protests in Armenia.
On Thursday till late night thousands of protesters in Gyumri stayed
up demanding that the suspect of the January 12 murder case, Russian
102nd military base serviceman Valeri Permyakov should be handed over
to Armenian law-enforcement bodies.
Yesterday at a protest in Gyumri there were clashes between the police
and protesters, as a result 26 are reported to have been hospitalized
and 16 among them - police officers, 21 others were taken to the
police station.
Meanwhile, in the evening in Liberty Square in Yerevan a spontaneous
protest took place in support of Gyumri protesters, however, there
again there were clashes between citizens and the police, and 38
people were arrested.
Rule of Law NGO co-founder Artak Zeynalyan on Friday told reporters
that people are indignant and protest against injustice.
"The version that the suspect was thirsty, that the gate was open
and he entered, threatened and started shooting everyone is not
convincing, and this viewpoint was heard while he was under Russian
control. It is suspicious that this is the motive, that's why it is
very important for us that the neutral side runs the investigation,"
the human rights activist said.
Armenian Helsinki Committee leader Avetik Ishkhanyan said that
arresting those protesting in Liberty Square was another manifestation
of arbitrariness.
"In the evening, when people gathered in Liberty Square, around a
hundred people, they were peacefully watching videos from Gyumri,
speaking, without any calls, but a manhunt took place, those who were
holding the national flag were arrested first, there is no other word
but arbitrariness to describe this," the human rights activist said.
Heritage Party MP Tevan Poghosyan addressed the case saying that if the
case was a legal one in the beginning, it is completely political now.
"It is political, because it became a problem of international
relations; at least one international treaty was violated in Armenia,
upon which any boarder guard was supposed to hand over any trespasser,
especially the one in civilian clothes and with no documents to the
Armenian side. We spoke much about the 4th, 5th and 8th provisions
of the treaty, but in that same treaty there is another provision as
well, which says that in case of such occurrences, when both sides
have problems, a joint committee is formed and the place is Yerevan,
together it is discussed, however, nothing is said about this," the
MP said, adding that it is not clear for him why no mourning days are
declared, because in that case it might have been a message for the
people of how Armenia treats its citizens, and maybe our population
would have regained the feeling of trust.
Poghosyan also said that there is an initiative in the National
Assembly to call a joint meeting of four committees to try to discuss
all events and understand what should be done.
http://armenianow.com/society/59885/armenia_gyumri_yerevan_protests_family_murder_russ ia