Why is Imprisonment of Armenia’s Citizens So Fundamental for the Authorities? Nikol Pashinyan Explains

On Apr. 27, Epress.am sent a letter containing 6 questions to chief editor of local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”), imprisoned journalist Nikol Pashinyan, as part of a campaign initiated by local news outlets. On May 10, we received Pashinyan’s response to us. We will publish his response to each of our questions incrementally throughout the week. This is the third response in this series.

Question: Why is your imprisonment such a principled (or fundamental) issue for Armenia’s authorities?

Response: And why is any Armenian citizen’s imprisonment such a principled issue for Armenia’s authorities? For the same reason, the issue of my freedom is so fundamental for the authorities. I don’t see a particular difference in the treatment demonstrated by the current administration towards the rights and freedoms of, say for example, any resident of the village of David Bek in Syunik marz [province] and me. A tyrannical administration sees a threat in every citizen because it is that very citizen from whom it has stolen power, the exclusive right to form power, which belongs to him through Article 2 of the RA Constitution. And so, the authorities do everything [possible] so that the citizen, robbed and deprived of rights, doesn’t stand a chance in becoming the master of his own rights.  So that he is unable to demand an answer from those who conquered power. And that’s why I’m now in Artik penitentiary and the resident of the village of David Bek in Syunik marz is pushed to Russia, to work abroad. And those who remain are imprisoned in their homes, under the constant threat of tightening the conditions of bearing punishment.

That which is taking place with me, to a large extent, one way or another, is taking place with hundred thousands of citizens of Armenia — it’s simply that not all of them are chief editors of newspapers or opposition political figures, and that which is taking place with them, unfortunately, does not always become worthy of receiving such attention as the news about me receives.