0 8000 12 11

On January 28, 2014 during the protest action of “Army in reality” civic initiative the RA Police once again forcefully dispersed the peaceful assembly organized in Liberty square.

First, the mothers of servicemen, who died in peace, were forcefully impeded to approach the square area.  The black-dressed mothers came to remind the officials participating in the solemn celebration held at Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet Hall about their sons’ unrevealed death cases. Later, “Army in Reality” civic initiative members Vardges Gaspar, Ara Nedolyan and Artashes Sergoyan, supporting the mothers were illegally apprehended. The citizens were not given an explanation why they were being apprehended to the Police, whereas, when citizen Vardges Gaspar demanded to be provided with the copies of the case- related documents, he was removed from the Police Central Department in a minibus by application of force and displaying inhuman treatment, he was taken away from the building   and was left there outside in the rain and mud.

Recording the aforementioned we confirm that freedom of expression of the RA citizens and their fundamental rights were subsequently gravely violated by the RA Police. The application of violence in relation to justice seeker mothers, having lost their sons, and citizens voicing about the issues existing in army comes to once again prove that the subject of army for our country’s authorities is a banned and closed space and issues related to it cannot be raise.  We consider the application of violence against the mothers of diseased soldiers and citizens voicing about the issues of the army along with festively celebrating the Army Day as a regular expression of the state officials’ criminal policy aimed to promote the atmosphere of impunity and permissiveness.

“Army in Reality” civic initiative