The Armenian opposition on Tuesday staged a protest in support of illegally arrested opposition activists outside the United Nations Office in Yerevan.
They urged the organization to condemn the authorities’ illegal practices and political persecutions in the country.
“The protest outside the UN Armenia Office is aimed at sounding the alarm about political prisoners and illegally arrested persons in the country,” said Sevak Nazaryan, a member of the opposition resistance movement.
"About five dozen people have recently faced political persecution for winning decent victories against the authorities, refusing to remain silent, standing up and raising national issues neglected by the current authorities,” he added.
Nazaryan pointed to the sudden death of film producer Armen Grigoryan, a vocal critic of Armenia’s government, during his trial last week, saying it would have turned into an “international scandal if the so-called international community had properly reacted to it.”
Grigoryan’s lawyer, Ruben Melikyan, said that the public figure suffered from serious “health problems” but was held in pre-trial custody for nearly two months.
"Some of those currently under arrest also have health problems, which is ignored by law enforcement agencies," he stated.
"The international community’s adequate response to the incumbent authorities’ steps would help deter fresh illegalities and injustice. The authorities are becoming more and more brazen because they do not meet the appropriate reaction and think that their activities will always be assessed positively outside of Armenia,” Nazaryan said.