After following, with deep concern, the events that unfolded in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on February 6, we state that the legislature’s decision to designate a referendum is an overt violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and constitutional legislation. This is stated in the statement issued by first Human Rights Defender of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanyan and lawyer Ruben Melikyan.

“We, the undersigned lawyers and human rights activists, after following, with deep concern, the events that took place in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on February 6, we state that the decision of the legislature to designate a referendum is an overt violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and constitutional legislation.

Attaching importance to the mechanisms of direct democracy, we also insist that those mechanisms cannot be applied arbitrarily and illegitimately. This will not only undermine the foundations of a legal state, but will also create a weighty precedent for violation of rights. Our concerns are fully in line with the international commitments that the Republic of Armenia has assumed within the scope of the Council of Europe.

Based on the aforementioned, we call on the President of the Republic of Armenia to refrain from participating in this unconstitutional process and from designating the referendum.

Larisa Alaverdyan, first Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia

Avetik Ishkhanyan, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia

Ruben Melikyan, lawyer

Lawyers and human rights activists are free to join the statement. The last day for signatures is February 8 (5 p.m.).

We recommend that the political and non-governmental organizations operating in the Republic of Armenia address the President of the Republic of Armenia with a similar call,” the statement reads.