Hammarberg was Moved to Tears by the Stories of March 1 Victims’ Families

Yesterday evening, after all his meetings were over, Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg met with the family of the victims of March 1, 2008, at the CoE Armenian office, reports local Armenian daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”).

Journalists were forbidden from participating in the meeting. After the more-than-hour-long meeting, the mothers of March 1 victims explained they were very impressed since Hammarberg listened to them very attentively, asked questions, was moved by their stories, so much that he was teary-eyed, and at the end of the meeting, he asked that they give him photos of the March 1 victims, writes Haykakan Jamanak.

Hammarberg promised to use all the opportunities available to him in Europe to voice their concerns, and he will address this issue in his report on Armenia.

“He said, I was by Nikol Pashinyan’s side when he was calling to the people to stay calm, asking them not to succumb to provocation, but the instigators were many and they pulled the people into conflict. I said, if it wasn’t for Nikol Pashinyan and the other opposition members, the number of dead wouldn’t be ten, but thousand, because the government had brought in tanks, men with rifles,” said the father of slain Gor Kloyan, Sargis Kloyan, after the meeting with Hammarberg.

Hammarberg asked another meeting participant, attorney Vahe Grigoryan, to provide him with all those issues with which they are preparing to go to the European Court. He also asked whether there had been financial compensation from the state for the families of the victims. They said there weren’t even condolences. The victims’ parents explained if they’ve received support from anyone, even just moral support, it’s been from the Armenian National Congress (HAK).

Recall that mass protests against alleged electoral fraud, organized by supporters of unsuccessful presidential candidate, first president of the Republic of Armenia and HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrossian, followed the presidential election of Feb. 19, 2008, in Armenia. On Mar. 1, 2008, national police and military forces, called in to disperse the crowds, used “excessive force and violence” which left 10 people dead and many more wounded.