We have been organizing the Rights march on the international day of the protection of human rights every year since 10 December, 2008. These marches have become an opportunity to take stock of what the Popular Movement has accomplished in its struggle for freedom and the restoration of constitutional rights, as well as an expression of our determination to continue the fight. On this day we report on the state of human rights and democratic freedoms to our people and to the international community, as well as map out our future tasks in these areas. Here are then the most pressing areas of concern:
- For more than a year and four months, the ruling regime ofArmeniais keeping Tigran Arakelyan, who is an Armenian National Congress activist, in prison. The authorities released all the political prisoners in 2011 under pressure from the public and entered negotiations with the Armenian National Congress on the issue of forming a legitimate government through fair and free elections. In order to torpedo these negotiations, the authorities, with help from the police, organized a provocation against the group of young activists from the Armenian National Congress on 9 August, 2011. As a result, Tigran Arakelyan has been sentenced to 6 years in prison, and if Serge Sargsyan orders the obedient Appeals Court to confirm the sentences of First Instance and Appellate Courts, three other activists – Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, and Davit Kiramijyan – will also be imprisoned for 3, 2, and 2 years respectively. On behalf of today’s march we demand freedom for the youngsters, who are fighting for theArmeniaof their dreams.
- Having created a machine for vote bribing, voter intimidation, and multiple voting, the Armenian authorities continue to deny the Armenian people’s right to form a government through elections. The National Assembly, which was formed after the 6 May elections, does not reflect the true will of the Armenian people as a result. In the mean time, the authorities are gearing up for massive vote fraud in the upcoming presidential elections.
- Television remains under the control of Serge Sargsyan’s regime, which tramples on the basic right of the Armenian people to free speech and free access to information.
- On 1 March, 2008, the authorities drowned the people’s anger at election falsification in blood, violating the most basic of human rights – the right to life –then failed to uncover that unprecedented crime and to punish anybody for organizing and carrying out the killings. The Armenian National Congress is calling on the people to continue its unbending struggle for its basic rights. Emigration is not the right answer to oppression and lawlessness. Citizens must take ownership of their destinies and rid the country of its dictatorial rulers.
We call on all the political forces that are not controlled by the authorities to join forces during the upcoming presidential elections for the sake of our people’s freedom and prosperity.
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Finally, we call on the international community, particularly the Council of Europe, its Parliamentary Assembly and the Council’s Human Rights Commissioner not to turn a blind eye on the blatant violations of human rights and democratic freedoms by the Armenian authorities, to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Armenia in its struggle for those rights, as well as to take the necessary measures to make sure that the Armenian authorities are fulfilling their obligations and commitments in the area of human rights.
Participants of the Rights March
