Epress.am News from Armenia
Yerevan Police Chief Nerses Nazaryan considers pitching tents in Mashtots Park and environmental activists’ sit-in in tents after 10 pm to be “unacceptable,” reports RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun).
“They didn’t apply anywhere; they didn’t receive permission — this isn’t allowed. Across from the [Research Center of Maternal and Child Health Protection] maternity hospital — come see how many complaint applications there are and from the maternity hospital; there are mothers giving birth, getting inpatient treatment there; this isn’t allowed. Shouting, turning on the megaphone at midnight, the number of complaints, the claim filed by the director of that hospital, [Georgy] Okoev… And they were told, ‘dear people, don’t do it — you did it till 10 pm; it’s not allowed; don’t do it after 10′,” he told Azatutyun.
The police chief refuted activists’ claims that on the evening of Mar. 14, police officers tore their tent and in dismantling it, didn’t even notice that one of the activists, Bayandur Poghosyan, was sleeping inside.
“There was no tearing, pulling, or prying — there was no such thing, and they were asked beforehand to gather [the tent] and not interfere with the [construction] work. You brought it for one day and pitched it, but you shouldn’t cross the line; that tent shouldn’t be pitched in the [city] center. But they have began to take advantage; they have begun [to make demands]: ‘We want to pitch the second [tent], the third…’,” he said.
According to Nazaryan, police actions in Mashtots Park have been within the limits of the law.
Recall, in a written statement issued on Thursday evening, RA Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan defended the activists, saying they should be allowed to keep their one tent and spend the night in the downtown park.