The Latest Actions by the Police point to the State’s Attitude towards Public Initiatives

Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor told journalists today that the recent unlawful conduct of the police against public initiatives, namely the activists of the Army in Reality Initiative, Vardges Gaspari and Lala Aslikyan. Sakunts noticed that the police actions show their attitude toward public initiatives.

 

He added that he considers the assaults against the members of the Army in Reality Initiative to be a typical way for authoritarian countries to silence public initiatives. According to Sakunts, this is an organized campaign against civil initiatives, and it shows that the officials are not willing to solve or proceed with the issues raised by the initiative. 

Nevertheless, Sakunts emphasized that such steps would not discourage the initiative, that members of the initiative are serious,and they will continue their actions.  . 

Sona Ayvazyan, a representative of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center, noted that freedom of assembly is stated in the Constitution and the State has to guarantee this freedom. Ayvazyan noticed that, most probably, the law enforcement bodies have not read the law or are interpreting it from their own perspective. According to Ayvazyan, yesterday’s speech from the Chief of Police about protestsshowed that he has read the law, but has given a personal interpretation to its provisions: “One can assume that the Chief of Police can be in different moods every weekand the attitude of the police officers towards the protestors will depend on his mood and it will be unpredictable for the protestors.”

As to the fact that protestors are apprehended for insulting officials and policemen, Ayvazyan noticed that it is the right of expression of the protestors and apprehending a citizen for it is a violation of law. Ayvazyan noticed that it is natural that people get offended from those words but the officials should think about why they receive such treatment. 

Artur Sakunts noticed that those insults were not personalized; they referred to the activity of the officials. According to Sakunts, if the assaults and murders continue at the police stations, then it is everybody’s right to call the Chief of Police a criminal and a murderer. 

When asked what actions the initiative would take if the Chief of Police banned protests at the Government Building, Sakunts answered: “We will protest at the Presidential Residence, or at some other place.” 

Sona Ayvazyan mentioned that they would submit a statement to the same police station that obstructs the citizens’ right to hold free demonstrations. 

Source: http://www.1in.am