Yesterday, eight activists were apprehended to the police department who had participated in the rally of the anonymous launched on the Freedom Square. As you know, they were wearing masks and with the posters of political prisoner Shant Harutyunyan, Volodia Avetisyan and Shahen Harutyunyan were trying to say that there are still political prisoners in Armenia. They were standing on the streets, in the place for pedestrian, in an oval place which is called safety lane. The police officers using force, twisting the arms and pushing the protesters, apprehended them to the police department.
To this respect, Aravot.am asked human rights activist Artak Zeynalyan whether the march on the streets with masks can be considered a violation of the law, and if yes, and people are apprehended, then why the people wearing masks during the celebration of the Halloween were not apprehended. Artak Zeynalyan responded, “In fact, they do not say that they apprehended for wearing masks. They pour another sauce on it. They declare one thing, but actually, they have something different in mind. They arrest with no substantiation and then try to justify and find substantiations for arresting them.” Artak Zeynalyan assured that the police actions were unlawful, people cannot be arrested for it. “In fact, they are saying one thing and cover it by another thing. They arrest, exercise administrative penalty, but actually they want to impede the right to freedom of expression, which also includes the protest actions.”
To our question of whether standing on the safety lane can be considered as an offense, Mr. Zeynalyan replied, “It is not an offense. This section is for people to stand.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
