If people in masks kidnap a political activist, and then put a mask on his head and brutally beat him in turn, then no one can say, “we get drunk and beat each other.” Or, we cannot explain it by the fact that some outraged migrant has returned from Russia and decided to set accounts with the political figure. The incident occurred to PAP activist Artak Khachatryan, in my opinion, is an act of terrorism. Perhaps, I’m deviating from the textbook definition of the notion “terrorism”, but in my perception, terrorism occurs when the harassment against person’s life and health is committed to show something, to frighten and intimidate.
Saying that beating is a way of solving the problem is an exclusive phenomenon in Armenia, of course, there would be an exaggeration. In the 90s, the Yerkrapah members were “engaged” in it and in the 2000s, the “guards” of Kocharyan oligarchs. Similarity between these cases and the brutal assault against Artak Khachatryan is that the perpetrators and the clients are not identified and, I suppose, will not be identified. Who were the people who beat the “Karabakh” Committee member Ashot Manucharyan? And what about General Suren Abrahamyan? And the journalist Never Mnatsakanyan? Officially, nothing is said about it, although we have some assumptions.
The difference, however, is that the then opposition was weak and oppressed, and the media censorship was stronger, as well as the Facebook was not developed as a way to consolidate people. Now, it is much more difficult for the government or oligarch circles to apply to such terroristic methods unpunished. And the fact that these very circles are doing it, it seems, there is no doubt. Anyway, the ordinary citizen has no chance to keep such “beating brigades”.
The doubts can be aggravated by the silence of the government authorities about these cases. It is good that the Prime Minister spoke of this matter yesterday. It is desirable for the police chief to come up with a statement too, to strongly condemn the violence and promise that the case will be disclosed shortly.
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If we look at such actions from the viewpoint of authorities, then they are absolutely senseless. It is impossible to scare anyone in today’s Armenia. And vice versa, it is possible to raise even the wrath of the people who do not support PAP party or the opposition and are not interested in Artak’s social activities and generally, in politics.
We all just need to understand that it is normal to hold a peaceful protest in front of the government building and elsewhere, the demand to amend or suspend the law (in this case, the Law on Turnover tax) is an accepted form of social and political struggle. When people come out to the streets demanding to amend the law, then they want to live by the law rather than to circumvent it. It should be appreciated.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
