1.Violations of the rule of law – The use of
administrative arrest as a tool of political repression.

Persecution of dissenters. Violation of journalists rights.

a. Journalists were attacked

[05.04.2004]

On April 5, 2004, during a rally organized by the National Unity political
party, journalists covering the event were attacked by a group of heavy-set
young men. The video cameras of four television stations - Kentron (reporter
Astghik Bedevyan, cameraman Tigran Babayan), Hay TV, Shant (reporter Edward
Petrosyan, cameraman Husik Aristakesyan), and Public Television (reporter Vahe
Shahverdyan, cameraman Romik Khachatryan) - were damaged, as were the cameras of
the daily newspapers Aravot (reporter Anna Israelyan) and Haykakan Jhamanak
(reporter Haik Gevorgyan), and Hetq (photojournalist Onnik Krikorian).

The reporters and cameramen received various bodily injuries. Law enforcement
officers present at the rally did nothing to stop the erpetrators of this
violence. Moreover, according to the journalists, the attackers, dressed in
civilian clothes, were themselves officers of the law.

Some local and international organizations condamned violence against
Journalists during the rally and appeared with statements. Here is the list of
them:

Reporters Without Borders

Editorial Board of Hetq

Internews NGO

NGOs and Journalists Participating in “Civil Society in the Context of
Democratic Reforms in Armenia” workshop.



The Armenian leadership showed no signs of impending punishment for violent
youths that attacked journalists at an opposition rally in Yerevan, despite a
barrage of criticism and condemnations from the country’s leading media
associations.

http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1599


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1595


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1589


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1602


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1608


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1600


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1606


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1596

b. List of those illegally arrested and beaten

[05.04.2004]

Opposition bloc Justice released the list of those illegally arrested, beaten or
disturbed recently.

68 underwent police harassment - 41 of them are Armenian People Party members,
17 are from Republic party, 7 are Justice’s supporters and 2 Democratic Party
members - are listed here.

Besides, 47 activists of National Unity have been arrested. Total amount of the
law enforcement victims is 115.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1592

c. Arrests

[05.04.2004]

Armen Mkrtchyan, the head of the Republica party Yerevan’s Arabkir district
office, was summoned to Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, 5 April.

The party’s other leaders were called to the Prosecutor Office as well and
threatened there.

In a day before that, the heads of Armenian provinces Byureghavan and
Charentsavan were arrested and released only after interference of the party
board members.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1591

d. Aramazd Zakaryan Becomes Subject
To Police Harassment

[05.04.2004]

On Monday morning, a group of police officers headed by chief of criminal
department of the Yerevan Arabkir district police raided the house of one of
Republic party leaders and former MP Aramazd Zakaryan.

The dawn raid was stalled by resistance from Zakaryan, who refused to open the
door and demanded to show a warrant.

The police crew was reluctant to stay outdoors. Now the house is surrounded by
the law enforcement officers


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1590

e. 2 Months to Surenyantc

[07.04.2004]

Court was to choose the preventive punishment for Suren Surenyantc in private
session.

H. Hovhannissyan, Judge of the First Instance Court of Kentron, Nork-Marash
Communes made a decision to take Suren Surenyantc in detention for 2 months
preliminary.

Suren Surenyantc’s advocate Robert Grigoryan thinks that Surenyantc wouldn’t
hamper preliminary investigation.

It is to remind that Suren Surenyantc is accused of “public statements over
forced change of the Constitutional order and addressing insult to the
Authorities”.

Advocate Robert Grigoryan informed that he is going to appeal against the
decision, which he calls baseless.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1601

f. Aramayis Barseghyan was arrested

[8.04.2004]

Office of People’s Party of Armenia informed that ex MP, PPA member Aramayis
Barseghyan was arrested. 7 policemen arrested him. It is to remind that Aramayis
Barseghyan was brutally beaten a few days ago.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1612

g. Viktor Dallaqyan was invited to the department

8.04.2004

On April 8 morning the Armenian law-enforcement bodies have invited MP and
“Justice” Bloc Secretary Viktor Dallaqyan to the department under the pretext of
having a talk. He went to the department as a sufferer in connection with the
recent attack in the street. After the long examination in Office of Prosecutor


Viktor Dallaqyan was released. In Office of Prosecutor he just signed a document
to once more visit Office of Prosecutor tomorrow at 12:00 PM. Law-enforcement
bodies promised Dallaqyan that the examination would last for an hour. As to
being in Office of Prosecutor, Viktor Dallaqyan says a trap was set in Police.
According to Dallaqyan, during the meeting in Police the decision of General
Office of Prosecutor over taking him in detention was brought.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1609


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1611

h. Case of Natalia Janoyan

[8.04.2004]

On April 8, at 20.00 Natalia Janoyan was brought to the Arabkir district police
station for spreading leaflets about a meeting to be held om April 9th. She was
kept in the police station till 22.30 and then released with order to come to
the police station on April 9 at 10.00. According to our information, Natalia
Janoyan underwent through physical violence. On April 9 Natalya Janoyan was
brought to the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic where she was questioned as a
witness on the case against the Justice bloc. Approximately at 15.30 Ms. Janoyan
was released.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=guest&id=37

i. Arrest of 9 members of “National Unity” Party


[06.04.2004]

Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens Assembly released a statement regarding
arrest of 9 members of “National Unity” Party who were coming to Yerevan from
districts yesterday to partake in the meeting with the electorate. Late at night
6 of them were set free.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1598

2. Prompt Response Group on Human Rights Protection

[8.04.2004]

Seven Armenian NGOs’ leaders - Gayane Markosyan (Free Tribune for Civil
Initiatives), Artak Kirakosyan (Civil Society Institute), Avetiq Ishkhanyan
(Helsinki Committee of Armenia), Georgi Vanyan (Caucasus Center for Peacemaking
Initiatives), Artur Sakunts (Helsinki Citizens` Assembly Vanadzor Office),
Vardan Harutyunyan (Speech Freedom Support Fund), Levon Barseghyan (Journalists’
Club “Asparez” Gyumri) set up Prompt Response Group on Human Rights Protection.
In the Statement they wrote:

Being anxious about the mass violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms
these days’ in RA, in particular:

· unjustified
prohibition of meetings and demonstrations

· prevention of free
movement by blocking main high roads and streets

· unlawful
deprivation of liberty, taking to police stations and application of
administrative arrest to citizens

· using violence toward journalists

· instructed
inactivity and discrimination attitude of the police

· persecuting and
suppression of dissenters,

and assessing the above mentioned facts as a state terror and intention to
create fearful atmosphere in the republic, we, the undersigned, formed a human
rights protection prompt response group.

On the same day prompt response groupe realised sentance on the case of Suren
Surenyants in which it condemns all demonstrations of totalitarianism against
political opponents in free and independent Armenia.


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=guest&id=37


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1610


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1617

3. Freedom of Movement

[5.04.2004]

On 5 April the police limited the access to Yerevan on all roads leading to the
capital, in a move to prevent opposition supporters from attending the
demonstration. Police officers at roadblocks strongly objected when journalists
tried to photograph them.

On 9 April the public transport system between Yerevan and the rest of Armenia
was brought to a virtual halt, partly by banning minibuses in the province from
working, partly by blocking the entrance to Yerevan to buses, minibuses and
taxis. Also personal cars and commercial trucks were stopped for identity checks
by traffic and military police. The days before the 9 April demonstration the
police had already stopped buses coming from the city of Artashat and nearby
villages to bar people from attending the opposition rally. Again the police
officers did not allow the photographing of the roadblocks.

On 9 Aprol morning, residents of Armenian town of Garni headed the road to
Yerevan despite local police’s warning not to attend the opposition rally in
Armenian capital. They walked on foot because buses were prevented from running.



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http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1614



http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1615

4. Freedom of Assembly

Yerevan Mayor Bans Key Opposition Rally

[07.04.2004]

The Yerevan municipality refused on Wednesday to sanction a planned Friday,
April 9 demonstration in the city center which is expected to mark the
culmination of a month-long opposition campaign against President Robert
Kocharian. But opposition leaders vowed to defy the ban, saying that it is
illegal.



http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1605