The incidents that took place on the intersection of Proshyan-Demirchyan streets in Yerevan on the evening of 03.06.2022 were at the center of the Human Rights Defender’s attention.
During the incident, the rapid response groups of the Human Rights Defender visited the relevant Police stations and conducted an analysis of the publications of mass media outlets and the disseminated videos.
Therefore, in relation to the mentioned incidents, the Defender registers the following:
1. The Police implemented special measures, using smoke and/or stun grenades. The Defender has already demanded explanations from the Police about the types of the special measures used, their compliance with the permissible criteria for use, as well as the need, proportionality and suitability of their use in the given situation.
The Defender notes that according to the legislation of Armenia, the use of special measures by the Police must have a legitimate purpose, and it must be strictly proportionate. The use of special measures in each case should be an exceptional measure to achieve the goals pursued by its application.
Moreover, prior to implementing special measures, Police servicemen should warn about it, providing sufficient time for persons to comply with their legal demands, with the exception of those cases when the delay in their implementation poses an immediate threat to the life and health of citizens or Police servicemen, or can result in grave consequences, or when such a warning is impossible.
The use of special measures on 03.06.2022 should be the subject of a detailed and impartial analysis in terms of the proportionality of the measure used, the legal aim pursued by it, and the impossibility of achieving the expected result by other methods. The giving of a prior warning before the implementation of the special measure, or the lack thereof should be substantiated.
The Defender will be consistent in making the incident a subject to a thorough investigation.
2. According to the data released by the Ministry of Health of Armenia, 60 people applied to medical centers, 39 of which were Police servicemen.
The Defender considers the disproportionate use of force by Police servicemen and the use of force against Police servicemen by the protestors inadmissible. The disproportionate use of force and illegal acts during protests should be excluded.
3. The rapid response groups of the Defender held private interviews with the 11 apprehended citizens in the Police stations. All 11 were apprehended under the suspicion of committing a crime under the Criminal Code of Armenia. 5 of the apprehended citizens had body injuries. Including in the areas of the face, head, jaw, and the eye.
According to the information revealed by the citizens during the private interviews, their bodily injuries were inflicted when they were already detained by Police servicemen, which is unacceptable, and the Defender has demanded that each such case be given a legal assessment in due time as a guarantee of the preventive significance of this unacceptable behavior.
4. The injuries of different degrees inflicted on Police servicemen through sharp tolls and heavy metal objects have been registered at the Office of the Human Rights Defender.
The Defender calls on the organizers of the protests and the protesters again to make every effort to ensure the peaceful conduct of the assemblies and to prevent the illegal acts of its participants, including by cooperating with the Police servicemen on duty at the protest.
The monitoring of the previous days proves that during the cases where the protestors and Police servicemen make the effort to cooperate, the peaceful conduct of the protest had been guaranteed, and the right of persons were not violated.
5. The Defender considers the incitement and justification of hate speech and polarization in public discourse unacceptable, both by the protestors and the organizers of the protests, and the public actors and citizens who are not participating in the protests.
In particular, public figures should refrain from such calls and speech, not to create further tensions within the society. This is a collective responsibility, that we should all realize.
The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia
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