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In his interview to Aravot.am, human rights activist Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, said that he had got no information on the apprehended persons yet.

Note that today the police apprehended over 10 persons from the area near the patrol and guard service premises in Erebuni administrative district. Among the apprehended persons were activist Maxim Sargsyan, a member of ‘Voch Talanin’ (‘No to Plunder’) initiative, Founding Parliament member Karo Yeghnukyan’s daughters and wife and daughters of Varuzhan Avetisyan, Vice Chairman of the Founding Parliament, etc.

Maxim Sargsyan has already been released.

According to Artur Sakunts, the police carries on infringing on the rights of the people without any grounds since, according to the human rights activist, their practices constitute an absolute manhunt: “By the segregation principle, this is called manhunt. That is, if people have anything to do with the members of the Founding Parliament, the illegal actions against them and their families are carried on. Furthermore, it is not only about apprehension without any grounds, but also depriving them of any legal support. Lawyers are not allowed to access police divisions, are treated in a very rude way, even with such expressions by police officers like “We are already pestered with your rights.”

In response to our question on whether Varuzhan Avetisyan’s wife and daughters were apprehended in an attempt to exert pressure on him and other attackers on the patrol and guard service premises, the human rights activist said: “I don’t think this will affect the further steps of Avetisyan. Firstly, their apprehension as such is an attempt to exert pressure; it almost constitutes an obviously illegal option of keeping them hostage. I find it difficult to say whether it will have any impact. But if they resorted to such a step, it is clear that they forecasted the possible steps.”

When asked whether the authorities fear anything since the numerous police officers blocked the way of the public discussion participants in Freedom Square and prevented them from marching to the area of the patrol and guard service in Khorenatsi Street, the human rights activists said: “The matter is the authorities do not want to take into account the fact that the persons in Erebuni patrol and guard service premises are not perceived by the public as a threat to their life and security. And the authorities have an obvious tendency to show that those persons pose a threat not only to the authorities but to the public at large as well, which is not true. For instance, the statement of the NSS is fictitious and baseless. If the public perceives such a threat, they will not take such steps. Now the authorities attempt to show as if they care about the public at large.”

Note that the official communications of the National Security Service state as follows: “The life and health of the persons illegally detained in consequence of the attack is still threatened. The terrorists who have already committed several crimes and have at their disposal a large quantity of arms and ammunition pose an obvious and imminent threat not only to the hostages, but also to the public at large.”

Sakunts also said that prohibiting the people gathered in Freedom Square from marching to Khorenatsi Street constituted a violation of law, “Their right to freedom of movement is restricted. It should be noted that starting from the morning of July 17, the law enforcement officers have acted unlawfully and illegally.”

Aravot.am