Civil Society Activists Call on Diaspora to Raise Awareness of ‘Regime Violence’ in Armenia

– Yesterday, on July 29 2016, an act of State terror was organized in Erebuni (Yerevan) where people have been protesting for the last twelve days. The local media documented numerous incidents of torture and ill-treatment by the Police of RA and its special units, including kidnappings, unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances, setting people’s houses on fire, intimidation and violence against children and elderly. The police also stormed into random people’s homes, terrorizing and beating them and their family members, severely brutalized injured people who were seeking help in hospitals, and beat hundreds of people held in police stations.

To adequately address these acts of police brutality and mass violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, we, civil society members in Armenia, NEED the following SUPPORT from the ARMENIAN DIASPORA:

• we need PUBLIC FIGURES to COME TO ARMENIA to raise awareness and to stop the violence unleashed by the regime against the peaceful citizens of Armenia (we are specifically calling on Loris Tjeknavorian, Rakel Dink, Serj Tankian, Cher, Margaret Ajemian Ahnert, Garry Kasparov, Atom Egoyan, Patrick Devedjian, David Barsamian, and other influential Armenians and non-Armenians);

• sensitize the Armenian diasporan media and demand that the media TELL THE TRUTH, covering what is actually happening in Armenia NOW to effectively stops state violence;

• SENSITIZE THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA to start covering the state terror in Armenia;

• organize RALLIES in front of ARMENIAN EMBASSIES, block the events with the participation of Armenian officials, do other actions to delegitimize everything done by Armenian officials;

• organize RALLIES in front of INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, notably the UN;

• put pressure on all diasporan entities, including individuals to cut funding for the Armenian government or government-backed projects;
• put pressure on international institutions that fund the government through loans and grants;

any other support by which the diaspora can help to deprive the current regime of authority and reputation, funding resources and the psychological and authoritative support of institutions, states, etc.

WE NEED YOUR PRESENCE!

Gayane Abrahamyan
Anahit Simonyan
Lara Aharonian
Gayane Hambardzumyan
Anna Shahnazaryan
Lusine Talalyan
Arpi Adamyan
Shushan Avagyan
Zaruhi Hovhannisyan
Maro Matosyan
Nvard Manasyan
Arpine Galfayan