PEACETIME ARMY DEATHS DO NOT CONCERN ARMENIAN YOUTHS DEMANDING RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE

04.02.2015 14:47 epress.am

Today, April 2, a group of about 20 police officers prevented the
parents of soldiers who have died in the army during peacetime from
holding a protest on the sidewalk in front of the Presidential Palace.

The police created a barricade in front of the doors of the Reception
of Citizens, Appeals, Complaints and Proposals Office of the RA
President’s office.

The protesting mothers claimed that they would appeal the violation
of their right to assembly to the European Court of Human Rights,
stating that the ECtHR has already ruled against Armenia in a similar
case before. Recall that on March 31 the European Court found that the
Republic of Armenia had violated the Helsinki Committee of Armenia
NGO’s freedom of assembly, as well as the right to an effective
remedy when preventing the NGO from holding a peaceful march and a
candlelight vigil in memory of Levon Gulyan, a witness in a murder
investigation who died in May 2007 while in police custody.

Meanwhile, today the sidewalk was open for other citizens and
demonstrations: at the time of the parents’ protest action, a
demonstration was being held by ARF-D Youth Union of Armenia and
“Nikol Aghbalyan” Student Association in front of the building of
the British Embassy neighboring the Presidential Palace. The youth
movement presented a claim to the Embassy on the occasion of the
100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“We remember and demand, too. We remember [the Genocide], and we
remember them,” Anahit Lazarian, mother of Arayik Lazarian who
died in the army in 2001, said to the ARF-D youths, pointing at the
pictures of the dead soldiers: “We demand that the President meet us,
and the murderers be punished for their deeds. We demand that young
people like you serve in a peaceful army.”

Speaking to Epress.am, a member of the youth movement said that
it was the first time that they heard of the cases of soldiers who
have died in peacetime: “They should appeal to the European Court,
rather than protest here. If the Armenian judicial system has not
done anything since, say, 2001, they are not going to now.”

Meanwhile, the young man assured that if the soldiers had been killed,
“the Ministry of Defense would have done something about it.”

“Some of their deaths were their own faults, some of them committed
suicide, while [the parents] gathered here claiming [their sons]
were murdered,” said he.

After about five minutes of listening to the protesting parents, the
members of the ARF-D Youth Union of Armenia and “Nikol Aghbalyan”
Student Association left, stating that the issue had nothing to do
with them.