Statement
April 15, 2015, Yerevan: On April 7, 2015 the leader of ”Founding Parliament”(FP) Jirayr Sefilyan, FP president Garegin Chugaszyan, FP deputy head Varoujan Avetisyan, FP members Pavel Manukyan, Gevorg Safaryan were arrested on suspicion of preparation mass disorder. Later indictment was introduced based on part 1 of Article 35-225 of RA Criminal Code (preparation of mass disorder) and a decision on detention as a preventive measure was issued.
”Founding Parliament” was established in January 2015 by ”Pre-parliament” political movement pursuing the aim to ”remove the governing regime peacefully and establish a state of new quality, through creation and legitimization of alternative governmental bodies”. [1]
According to the published program the regime change had to have been finished by April 24, 2015. Later it was announced that the regime will be removed on April 24 on the day of commemoration of 100th anniversary of Armenian genocide. The selection of this day, in particular, was substantiated as follows ”on this day the chances that the criminal regime will dare to exert violence against the people essentially reduce. Due to that, we [”Founding Parliament”] will succeed in liberating our country without blood and destabilization” [2].
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”Some people might not consider it reasonable to use Genocide Remembrance Day for other reasons, others might even consider it an immoral act, however, it cannot be used as a ground for people’s detention. Founding Parliament, during the whole period of its operation, has not applied any violent means, (quite the contrary violence was exerted against them) and law enforcement bodies have not presented convincing grounds to the society proving that this time they were going to act otherwise”, -says Chairman of Civil Society Institute NGO, Deputy General Secretary of International Federation for Human Rights Artak Kirakosyan.
Civil Society Institute NGO finds that law enforcement bodies have exceeded their authorities, and courts, following the established vicious practice, have made decisions on detention without sufficient and proper grounds.
Civil Society Institute NGO demands from RA authorities;
1. To immediately release members of ”Founding Parliament”
2. To take all necessary steps to ensure protection of the Constitutional right of ”Founding Parliament” to conduct peaceful assembly and rally on April 24.
[1] https://himnadir.am/program
[2] https://www.preparliament.com/2015/04/08/inchu-aprili-24/