Epress.am News from Armenia
Fifteen Armenian non-governmental organizations and individuals have issued a joint statement Friday, demanding that law enforcement authorities reveal the names of officers who used excessive force in dispersing on June 23, 2015, demonstrators protesting against a hike in Armenian electricity prices.
The statement says that on June 23 a number of civil society activists and journalists were attacked and beaten by police officers, who also broke or damaged the journalists' video recording devices, as well as destroyed video and photo materials. A total of 200 demonstrators, 13 journalists and cameramen were taken into custody.
“The police's use of excessive force was filmed and subsequently distributed across social networks and online media. Despite these videos and photographs clearly showing the perpetrators of illegal and violent actions, the police refuse to provide information about their identities, thus helping them to avoid responsibility.
“We, the undersigned, believe that information about the police officers who used excessive force and ill treated demonstrators on June 23, 2015, should be available to the public, in order to ensure effective control over the process of bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“Based on the aforementioned, we demand that the Armenian police take effective measures to bring to justice police officers who exceeded their powers, as well as provide information about them to the citizens involved in the case, their lawyers, and the public.”
Signatory organisations and individuals:
Journalists' Club “Asparez”
“Arena of Education” NGO
“We Plus” Social NGO
“Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Center
” NGO
“Veles” Human Rights NGO
“Helsinki Citizens' Assembly – Vanadzor” NGO
Araks Melkonyan, lawyer
Tigran Safaryan, lawyer
“Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression” NGO
“Real World, Real People” NGO
Lilit Hovhannisyan
“Union of Informed Citizens” NGO
Davit Simonyan
“New Generation” Humanitarian NGO