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Despite the government’s attempts to qualify the incident that took place in Freedom Square and also later on Baghramyan Avenue on April 9 as lawful and blame the clashes on the population, overall, it is obvious that the Police were guided by traditional principle, that is, by preventing the possible development of the movement through violations and provocation.

“A common conduct of a dictatorial state”, Vahagn Hovhannisyan, Gyumri branch coordinator of “Heritage” party, gave such an assessment to the clashes between the demonstrators and the Police officials that occurred during the peaceful rallies held on April 5 in Yerevan, as well as the application of force by the Police. By addressing the incident with Armen Martirosyan, he went into detail, “Armen’s wife and children along with his sister and mother joined him in Yerevan, who was among Gyumri people having initiated the march. The Police attempted to impede by forcing them out of the street justifying that they didn’t have such a right. Armen Martirosyan opposed to them, pressure was exerted upon his mother, and latter in his turn pushed back later the citizens came to intervene.”

“When we were making our way from Baghramyan Avenue to Freedom Square, they jostled Armen Martirosyan, his mother and also us. Armen Martirosyan’s 2 daughters were also with us: one of them was holding my hand. They were also jostling me and when I was saying, “Dear police officials, don’t you feel bad, the child is with me and you are shoving, it is a disgrace, overall we are all Armenians, we have crossed 130 kilometers from Gyumri to reach here, so that you push us back and forth? And the Police shouted back “it isn’t your Gyumri” and went on jostling”, reveals Gyumri resident Hamlet Grigoryan, who also partook in the march.  In the vicinity of the Opera House located in Freedom Square, groups of Police officials stood forming a wall and impeded movement. For a second I wanted to go drink water but they didn’t let me saying it isn’t allowed. And they were incessantly pushing, jostling and dragging people down to the ground.”

“I don’t imagine whether those police officials are sons of Armenians or Turks. They wouldn’t allow us walking in the street, they would instruct us get on the sidewalk. Hence, the cab can park in the street, but the citizen attempting to stand up for his rights is deprived of the right to freedom of movement.

The police officials would push us in a churlish, brutal, rough manner, we were over 50 people, they scared A. Martirosyan’s daughter. And if we attempted to respond back to their jostles and offensive words, they would definitely make up something by video materials”, shares Melikset Gaboyan, another march participant from Gyumri.

M. Gaboyan also told how he witnessed the provocative actions of the police officials dresses in civilian outfits, “One was elderly and the other was young, surrounded by 3-4 people, upon moving they began throwing sticks and candles at the Police and created an impression that the mob was initiating it, but in fact it wasn’t so. The Police provocateurs were making well- organized provocations in the name of the folk.”

Human rights defender Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor qualified the actions of the Police exerted in relation to peaceful protestants as unlawful feedback to their steps. “Even if the protestants change route of the march, in any case, the application of force must be in line with violations. What violations should they instigate to apply force? I am of the opinion that the actions of the Police weren’t in line with those of the protestants.” A. Sakunts also condemns the actions of the Police over subjecting Armen Martirosyan to beating. “Violence has been exerted, irrespective of the fact whether it is Armen Martirosyan or a peaceful protestant, the perpetrators must certainly be brought to liability, which is first of all depends on the conduct of those who were subjected to violence. However, taking into account the conduct of the Police during political sensitive situations or issues, which in this specific case pursued an obviously political trend, I consider it less possible that the Police officials will be punished. It doesn’t however mean that this issue shouldn’t be raised and no consistency should be displayed.”

Can the post-election process be over by all this and what will be the further measures undertaken by “Heritage” party and R. Hovhannisian? Artur Sakunts finds it difficult to give prognosis, however, he thinks the post-election developments are already over. Whereas, V. Hovhannisyan, Gyumri branch coordinator of “Heritage” party doesn’t exclude that similar protest actions may be ongoing as long as, according to him, the authoritarian system doesn’t give in. “Nothing will be over by this. This is neither the beginning, nor the end. Such protest actions will continue and we’ll accordingly decide on our plans.  Nobody can say what tomorrow will bring. There are any oppositional activists claiming an action plan, let them present it or come and stand by the side of R. Hovhannisian by presenting it. It is quite easy to make judgments from aside. This was more of Armenia’s security issue other than a partisan issue. And now we need to act. “Heritage” party as much as it can and it is crucially important for other political forces to join us instead of claiming they are by our side.”

Source: http://www.asparez.am/news-hy/ceci_u_sadranqneri_masin-hy/