Struggle for Lands: Armenian Government Gives, Then Takes, Say Demonstrators

Union of Armenians of Russia President Ara Abrahamyan’s brother, Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP Gagik Abrahamyan and some Arab sheikh want to snatch political prisoner Sasun Mikaelyan’s property, said journalist Taguhi Tovmasyan, the organizer of a protest demo in front of the Government of Armenia building today,. 

Protestors in defense of Mikaelyan’s property are demanding that the Armenian government review the decision which permitted such a deal. Participating in the demonstration were residents of not only Yerevan, but also Hrazdan. At the end of the demonstration, Tovmasyan handed a letter to reception addressed to the country’s prime minister signed by about five dozen individuals. 

“On Feb. 25 this year, the court issued a ruling that recognized certain lands within the administrative borders of the Artavaz village community in Kotayk marz [province] as exclusive priority, public interest and with that decision, lands were unlawfully snatched from 100 political prisoners and political prisoner Sasun Mikaelyan. The decision was made with violations to the Constitution and numerous laws of the European Convention on Human Rights. That is, no justification was presented, as to why specifically those lands are being taken away. And lands are being snatched from those individuals who at one time liberated lands for us. Sasun Mikaelyan’s land was given to him by a government decision, then with the aim of building a hydroelectric plant, but a hydroelectric plant has less significance in our country and is considered less lucrative than the sheik’s business, the mineral water plant,” said Tovmasyan. 

Sasun Mikaelyan’s plenipotentiary Hakob Avagumyan told journalists that the appeals court has to review their claim, which 36 people have signed. 

Another demonstrator, Hrazdan resident Aleta Mikaelyan, told journalists:

“We don’t have 24-hour access to water; the water is murky. If that sheikh takes it, we won’t have water. That area belongs to Hrazdan, but now they’re giving it to the sheikhs. They’ve put money in a couple of people’s pockets, they’ve agreed. But we don’t agree, what money are we talking about. We couldn’t care less about the monies. Everyone knows that, in Hrazdan, money has always lost, even during elections.”