0 8000 12 11

Human Rights House Yerevan is alerting that one of its network’s members, president of the board of Journalists’ Club ‘’Asbarez’’, Levon Barseghyan was detained illegally in the early morning of the 27th at 3am, by the special unit of the Yerevan Central Police, known as the “red berets”. Although journalists have announced to his son that his father L. Barseghyan was released early morning around 6:30, no one among his co-workers and family members knew about his whereabouts until 4pm. Later on it was finally clear that he was detained at the Shengavit Police station until 20:30, where law enforcement bodies had already breached the law of 3 hours detention without incrimination.

Police appointed a forensic analysis of the knife which, according to police, L.Barseghyan had in his possession. Shengavit Investigation Division opened a criminal case on suspicion of carrying cold weapons. Levon Barseghyan is arrested.

According to the official Human Rights Defender’s page, L. Barseghyan’s meeting with his lawyer was made possible only after their intervention. HRH Yerevan expresses deep concerns regarding several unlawful and illegal actions taken by the Police of Republic of Armenia towards Levon Barseghyan and considers these actions a politically motivated repressive method towards Barseghyan. These last few days, prior to his arrest, Levon Barsegyan was publicly involved and supporting the recent civic uprising to stop the escalation of violence against the armed group and demanding the resignation of Serge Sargsyan as president.

HRH Yerevan is calling upon all local and international human rights organisations, as well as diplomatic agencies to follow closely the actions taken by police against Levon Barseghyan and take necessary measures to ensure that he doesn’t fall victim in their hands because of his political views.

Human Rights House Yerevan