PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Congress
Address: 19A Koryun Str., 4th floor, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel: +374 10 52 09 74
Email: [email protected]
URL:
On July 1st, a group of young activists distributing informational fliers
for the demonstration planned for July 2nd was attacked by a group of people
in plain clothes. In addition to kicking and punching, the attackers used
their pistols to beat the activists, three of whom had to be taken to a
hospital due to their poor condition. Over the next day, the suspicion that
the attackers were actually policemen was publicly confirmed.
On July 5th, Armenia’s Constitution Day, police arrested one of those three
beaten activists, 28 year old Tigran Arakelyan. Three days later, the courts
sentenced Tigran to two months imprisonment for "Hooliganism." Tigran began
a hunger strike on July 6th and was joined the next day by Karen Karapetyan,
chairperson of the ANM youth wing. They were joined by four more members of
the Youth Movement on July 8th: Arakel Semirjyan, Narek Aivazyan, Sargis
Gevorgyan and Sargis Khachatryan. On 10th of July Tigran stopped
hunger-strike and asked others to behave the same way.
Sadly, the aggression the current regime first demonstrated over a year ago
continues and has focused further against those who try to inform and to
affect change, the journalists and the youth. The attack on July 1st was the
second of such violent attacks in little more than 2 months.
Due in part to the recent partial amnesty by the regime, PACE has given the
government of Armenia yet another reprieve. This is, in spite of the
dissolution of the fact-finding commission, the continued existence of
political prisoners in Armenia and repressions against media, and continued
violence against those who have a voice. There are four youths on hunger
strike in Armenia now, in protest of the illegal detention of a young man
whose guilt lays in daring to raise his voice against an illegal and
oppressive regime.
The arrest and conviction of Tigran Arakelyan is only one more step in a
consistently escalating battle the regime is waging against the people of
Armenia. Support given to the authorities is support given to an oppressive
government which acquired power through violent and anti-democratic means,
and continues to use these same means to stay in power today.
It is obvious that the current regime has not changed, and has no intention
to change, its distaste for human rights and civil society, and the
treatment of its own people.
We ask that you remain vigilant in your monitoring of this situation.
Sincerely,
Youth Council
Armenian National Congress