ODIHR Director Doesn’t Know Why Liberty Square Rallies are Prohibited

Freedom of Assembly is one of the fundamental human freedoms. Armenia has committed itself to protecting this freedom, both in international legally-binding documents and in OSCE documents, said Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions & Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, responding to Epress.am’s request for comments on why Armenia’s authorities continue to prohibit the opposition from holding rallies in Liberty Square.

“Freedom of peaceful assembly means freedom of peaceful assembly. I don’t know the reasons why the Armenian authorities prohibit [the Armenian National Congress from holding rallies in Liberty Square]. But I know what the rules are, the international rules. International rules say very clearly peaceful rallies have to be allowed; I repeat, have to be allowed… Restrictions are possible, but they can only be enforced if they’re absolutely necessary; they can only be imposed in accordance with the law. Now it is up to the Armenian authorities to explain whether they’re imposing restrictions and what is their basis [for doing so]. I don’t know the reasons,” he said.