“Our task is to carefully watch that the rights of any detainee is not violated, that there be an open and transparent investigation, that the society will have no doubts that some questions are concealed”,- so responded Alexander Arzumanyan, MP of “Heritage” party, former Foreign Affairs Minister, in the interview with Aravot.am, referring to the clashes at Liberty Square on November 5. He believes that we must do everything for the investigation be impartial, and details, “There could be provocateurs who evoked the collision. Therefore, everything should be thoroughly investigated and detected. There is not confidence in the police in Armenia, but the fact that there were provocateurs, it is definite. Therefore, we need to closely follow to reveal the truth.” We asked whether we can draw parallels with March 1, Mr. Arzumanyan said, “There was a nationwide revolt on March 1, people came out to protest in a peaceful demonstration against the rigged elections. It was a completely peaceful protest, and the government used the army, there were victims, thousands of people were arrested.” In response to our question whether he sees any similarities in the speeches made by Shant Harutyunyan and those voiced on March 2008, Mr. Arzumanyan said, “Six years have passed, a number of speeches were made on March 1. Their logic was to restore justice and acknowledge actual results of elections. It was a nationwide revolt because people were sure that the results of the elections were rigged. Accordingly, the comparison is not relevant. As for the speech of Shant Harutyunyan, everyone has its own style and approaches.”
To the criticism that the revolution in its turn, but the use of explosives was disallowed, Mr. Arzumanyan responded, “I I have always displayed with an approach that our path is constitutional, to achieve change of power constitutionally. Each nation has the right to mutiny, we prefer the Constitution. Therefore, it is necessary to specify in detail who had brought explosives, whether those using explosives were Shant Harutyunyan’s supporters. There are questions and the investigation should answer them.” To our question what meaning Shant Harutyunyan’s step was and who the recipient was, Mr. Arzumanyan replied, “Every man chooses its own way and style, discontent is widespread, there are a number of movements in Armenia. Civic activism is high, everyone makes its own way to choose. It is difficult to assess, I’m not a judge in this matter.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
