Arrested Armenian Oppositionists Banned From Their Right to Communicate With the Outside World

The six members of the “Founding Parliament” civil initiative arrested yesterday, April 7, Jirayr Sefilian, Ashot Hakobyan, Pavel Manukyan, Garegin Chugaszyan, Gevorg Safaryan, and Varujhan Avetisyan, have no access to radio or print media, Public Monitoring Group at the RA Police Detention Facilities said in a statement. The representatives of the Group met with the arrested oppositionists on Wednesday, April 8. 

“On incomprehensible to the Group basis the investigative body has placed a ban on their right to communicate with the outside world,” the statement said. In particular, the Police have banned visitations and phone calls from relatives.

The arrested men, as stated by the Public Monitoring Group, did not express any complaints about the general conditions or treatment at the detention facility. Meanwhile, Pavel Manukyan has begun a hunger strike to protest his unlawful arrest.

The members of “Founding Parliament” were arrested on charges pursuant to Article 225 of the RA Criminal Code (organization of mass disorder, accompanied with violence, pogroms, arson, destruction or damage to property, using fire-arms, explosives or explosive devices, or by armed resistance to the representative of the authorities), the RA Investigative Committee said on Tuesday, April 7.

According to an official statement issued by the Committee, “the RA National Security Service and Special Investigative Committee have joined forces to prevent mass disorders at the public event locations on April 24, 2015.”

“As a result of measures undertaken, it has become clear that a group of individuals, taking into consideration the real likelihood of large gatherings at the locations of public events organized on the territory of the Republic of Armenia on April 24, 2015 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, has been calling on the people to disobey that day the requirements of the authorities, and, if necessary, to use violence, to resort to power struggle,” the statement said.

Note, that the “Founding Parliament” civil initiative is pursuing regime change in Armenia. However, the initiative's coordinator, war veteran Jirayr Sefilian stated earlier that they were not going to organize upheavals on April 24.