Lyuks Stepanyan’s Relatives Will Struggle until the End
09:03, May 20, 2013 | Press Release | Freedom of Assembly and Association, Freedom of Movement, Rights of Soldiers/Recruits | Armed Forces, Police
To stage an act of protest, the relatives of Lyuks Stepanyan, term soldier who was killed in Noyemberyan on May 15of 2013, tried to transport his dead body in front of the government building with a claim to fully reveal the death circumstances of the soldier.
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor received an alarm that the Police officials impeded the processing of Stepanyan’s relatives and his co-villagers to Yerevan.
Arriving on site at 14:10 p.m. HCA Vanadzor staff members witnessed that on Sevan-Yerevan highway Stepanyan’s relatives were met by dozens of Police and Military Police cars along with numerous police officials, military police officers and those wearing “red berets”.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohnayan, Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan and Military Prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan were also present. As a result of persistent negotiations Lyuks Stepanyan’s relatives decided to return to the village, bury him there and only after then go back to Yerevan to stage the act of their protest.
Making an apology to those present, Stepanyan’s father requested to be understood since he had to give in for the sake of his son, but promised they would definitely continue struggling.
The whole village expressed willingness to join the Stepanyan family in the struggle, because, according to them, this wasn’t the first case when a conscript died from their village and the death circumstances remained unrevealed.
The corpse of Lyuks Stepanyan was returned to Verin Getashen village for burial accompanied by the Police Chief and other officials, hence, under the influence of persuasions and pressures, the moving of citizens was restricted and it isn’t yet clear if they will be allowed to continue their protest after the funeral.
Some of the citizens present on site left for Yerevan in order to participate in the protest act being held in front of the government building during which representatives from disproportionate force structures were also involved and the right of citizens to peaceful assembly was restricted.
