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United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights

Ms. Navi Pillay

Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom

of peaceful assembly and of association

Mr. Maina Kiai

Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel,

inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

Mr. Juan Mendez

Special Rapporteur on violence against women,

its causes and consequences

Ms. Rashida Manjoo

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

Ms. Margaret Sekaggya

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Mr. El Hadji Malick Sow,

Chair-Rapporteur

RE: Urgent appeal of Armenian NGOs and citizens

Dear High Commissioner, Special Rapporteurs and Chair-Rapporteur,

A number of concerned NGOs and citizens in Armenia would like to appeal to you and bring to your attention the increasingly degrading situation in the field of human rights that is leading to physical injuries and risks to human life. State authorities do not take necessary actions to stop the violence, and the lack of adequate response and condemnation along with continuous impunity provide an evidence of their support for the brutalities by criminals and police.

Since July 2013, there have been multiple peaceful actions taking place by the Armenian citizens throughout the streets of Yerevan in reaction to unlawful and controversial decisions and acts taken by various authorities. These decisions and acts included the unjustified and sudden increase of public transportation fees by the mayor of Yerevan, the construction of a multi-story building with the permission of the Yerevan municipality that blocks the sunlight of residents of the surrounding houses, the destruction of a historical-cultural monument by a tycoon – member of parliament, and the unexpected and non-transparent decision of the president of Armenia to join the Eurasian Customs Union.

Citizens were expressing their opinion on the unlawful and controversial decisions and acts of the authorities by exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly through leaflets, public discussions, marches, sit-ins, performances, protest demonstrations, closing streets, and so forth. They were forced to take the mentioned actions as they were deprived of any other opportunity to enter into a constructive dialogue with the authorities prior to their decision-making or to change their decisions.

The authorities are obligated to promote the rights to freedom of expression and assembly and to ensure security and the unobstructed exercise of the mentioned rights in line with the Armenian Constitution, national laws and international commitments in the field of human rights. Instead, during these actions, the Armenian police act as defenders of unlawful decisions of the authorities, and create unjustified obstacles for protestors by manifesting mostly unlawful and often brutal performance.

Urgent appeal_UN OHCHR