STATEMENT OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

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[04:26 pm] 11 September, 2008

On the evening of September 9, the police brutally dispersed and took
into custody a group of women participating in a hunger strike, which
had been properly registered with the Yerevan Mayor’s Office. The
group of six women had also duly informed relevant international
institutions of their decision to launch a hunger strike, demanding
the release of political prisoners.

During the action the police also illegally arrested Vladimir
Karapetian the former spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, currently
a representative of the Armenian National Congress. Mr. Karapetian and
the hunger strike participants were later released without having been
presented with any legal grounds for their arrest. The police also
violently attacked journalist Emma Gabrielyan of the daily newspaper
Zhamanak Yerevan, smashing her recorder and camera.

The continuous unlawful actions by the authorities and repression
targeting representatives of the opposition demonstrate the true
intentions of the government. While making public statements about
democratic values and reforms directed at foreign audiences, here
in Armenia the regime is becoming more authoritarian by the day,
showing less and less respect for basic human rights and its citizens’
inalienable right to freedom of expression. We strongly condemn such
behavior and call upon the government to act in strict accordance
with its international obligations and the law.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress