Statement by the EaP CSF Steering Committee on the Deteriorating Human Rights Situation in Armenia
11:00, February 2, 2016 | Announcements, Other
Statement
by the EaP CSF Steering Committee
on the Deteriorating Human Rights Situation in Armenia
1 February 2016
The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) is concerned about the increasing number of human rights violations of civil and political activists by Armenian authorities. Since the beginning of 2016, Armenian authorities have tightened repression against political opponents and by arresting one more activist increased the number of political prisoners to 13.
On the night of 31 December, the representative of the socio-political association “New Armenia” Gevorg Safaryan was arrested while protecting another citizen who became a victim of police aggression only for wearing a Christmas tree costume (the incident was covered by Radio “Liberty” and is available here).
The situation is exacerbated by the use by authorities of blatant instruments of pressure against political prisoners who are currently in jail. Attacks and threats against young opposition and civic activists, as well as human rights defenders have also become more frequent.
On the night of 26 January, the police forcibly dismantled the tent on the Freedom Square where the “New Armenia” representatives were conducting the round-the-clock vigil against the results of the constitutional referendum.
On the one hand, these events are happening against the backdrop of the negotiations on a new cooperation agreement between the EU and Armenia that started on 7 December 2015. On the other hand, they are accompanied by direct public threats from senior politicians representing the ruling Republican Party against their political opponents without any penalty for the former.
The circumstances, under which the Armenian Ombudsman Karen Andreasyanresigned, suggest that there is a direct link between his resignation and his human rights activities.
The Steering Committee of the Civil Society Forum calls on the Armenian authorities to immediately release Gevorg Safaryan and the remaining 12 political prisoners and stop the persecution of the opposition, as well as the violation of fundamental political and civil rights and freedoms.
Steering Committee Statement (EN)
Steering Committee Statement (RU)
Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum