Armenia. Human Rights Continue to be Violated, While Media Publish More Racist Content: Report

The Helsinki Association for Human Rights presented its 2010 Annual Report on the human rights situation in Armenia earlier today.

The report, available on the association’s website, however, only in Armenian, is broken down into two parts: the first half deals with freedom of speech and mass media, human rights defenders, peaceful assemblies, prohibition of torture and ill treatment, and freedom of religion and conscientious objection. The second volume contains the result of the association’s monitoring activities in mental hospitals, penal institutions and during court trials in Armenia. The report also includes an appendix on the case of Vahan Khalafyan, who died under suspicious circumstances in April last year while in police custody.

The first half of the report was presented by report editor Marianna Gasparyan. According to her, human rights in Armenia continue to be violated, particularly by police. This has been most obvious, she said, during opposition rallies.

“Citizens have been detained and their rights to free movement have been restricted. Seventeen civilians were detained on May 31, three of whom were accused under [RA Criminal Code] Article 316 [violence against a representative of the authorities],” she said.

Touching upon the issue of pressure on journalists in 2010, Gasparyan noted the acts of violence committed against local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) chief editor, opposition journalist Nikol Pashinyan while he was imprisoned in Kosh penitentiary (note, he is now serving the rest of his jail sentence in Artik penitentiary), and Ani Gevorgyan, a reporter with the same newspaper, which took place from May 31 to June 2, 2010.

Gasparyan also recalled two incidents of attack on human rights defender Artak Zeynalyan’s office.

According to her, Armenia’s authorities continue to ignore the 4 PACE resolutions.

PINK Armenia (Public Information and Need of Knowledge) NGO live tweeted during the event, including statements by Helsinki Association Mikayel Danielyan who noted the increasing amount of racist, xenophobic and homophobic content appearing in Armenia’s mass media.

PINK Armenia added that Helsinki Association will present this report to Armenia’s president, justice and defense ministers; however, they don’t believe there will be much of a response.