Artur Osikyan, the Deputy Chief of Police, stated in response to a question of www.aravot.am whether the culture of peaceful protests had formed in Armenia or not, “Certainly, the formation is relative in the sense that there is legislation and you can see at
least recently that the police or government bodies have performed their duty. And generally, I think that time is needed for the society, organizers of assemblies, but this doesn’t refer to everyone, in order that such culture is gradually formed and adopted. And if we compare us with the European countries, which have hundreds of years of experience and established traditions, institutions, it is not developed in our country yet,” Osikyan who thinks that the police were not to blame for that at all said.
“Basically it is not an issue of blaming someone for it. We also have an adopted culture; one just has to develop it.”
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In response to our next question why the society didn’t trust the image of the current police, the Deputy Chief of Police said, “I wouldn’t say that it doesn’t trust. Perhaps a part, a small part of the society doesn’t trust. However, if you check out the dynamics, you will see that at least recently I can surely say that the trust toward the police has increased.”
In response to a question whether repetition of March 1 was possible, Mr. Osikyan said it was neither probable, nor improbable and added, “If, God forbid, such a situation repeats, the police are currently at their best with their professionalism and skills. I think everything will be done, in order that any rally is held peacefully. And when participants in a rally try to go beyond the rights provided for by the law, the police should be at their best not to allow riots,” he added.
Eva HAKOBYAN
