Epress.am News from Armenia
Supporters of the right-wing group petitioning against the Convention on Combating Domestic Violence have again attacked women who expressed their disagreement with the extremist cause. The women reported to the police.
On December 10, members of the self-proclaimed “Will” initiative, flooded swearwords at two women and shoved them around. One of the women, as was found out later, was MP Mikael Zolyan’s assistant. Both victims of the assault refrain from publicizing their names to avoid further assaults and manipulations in the social media.
As was reported by the women, passing on Baghramyan street on December 10, three men standing at the petition stall in front of the Parliament, offered signing their petition, the women refused, to which one of the young men made a swear word. The women replied back, to which the men responded by assaulting and hitting. The self-defense turned into a brawl. A police investigation is underway.
On December 11, MP Mikael Zolyan condemned the act on his Facebook page, by emphasizing that he was ready to listen any argument in favor or against anything, including the Convention to Prevent and Combat Domestic Violence, however he strongly condemned any act of violence and expected the law enforcement bodies to investigate the offences.”
This is not the first instance of violence reported about this group. Earlier in November, the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women called an alarm that the unrightful collection of signatures was accompanied by acts of violence and hate speech.
About three months ago, Yerevan Council member Grigor Yeritsyan of “My Step” turned to Yerevan Police demanding to immediately remove the stalls that had been stationed without a permit from the district governor given that the people standing around these booths were violating the dignity of Yerevan residents and foreign visitors of Armenia.
The police have left unnoticed many similar appeals and have therefore created a fertile ground for various groups to apply violence in various public places, including the incidence of assault against three students of the American University of Armenia.