On April 7 2015, at 06:30 am in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, the RA National Security Service and the RA Investigative Committee began to carry out searches in the apartments and offices of members and coordinators of the Founding Parliament civil movement, then arrested them confiscating communication devices, computers and documents.
During searches and arrests members of the Founding Parliament are not provided with basic rights, particularly the right to have a lawyer. In almost all cases, searches and arrests were accompanied by obvious and unnecessary displays of power. In particular, 15-20 police officers took part in searches of apartments of each member of Founding Parliament. In Gyumri the representative of the Ombudsman and lawyer of the coordinator are not given the opportunity to learn about the reasons for the search.
On April 7, at 13:00 Zhirair Sefilyan, his brother Toros Sefilyan, Pavel Manukyan, Varuzhan Avetisyan, Garegin Chugaszyan, Aram Hakobyan, Hovhannes Ghazaryan were arrested or forced into the custody.
After that the RA Investigative Committee issued a statement, according to which the RA National Security Service and the RA Investigative Committee jointly undertook measures, which allegedly prevented the organization of mass riots in public events on April 24 2015. This statement does not inspire any faith, because a crime is attributed to public figures without investigation and it clearly violates the presumption of innocence.
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We appreciate the measures undertaken by the RA National Security Service and the RA Investigative Committee as deliberate and planned illegitimacies directed against the RA citizens by which they once again try to suppress and restrict the constitutional right of freedom of expression, forming rallies and organizing peaceful meetings.
We consider the actions of the RA NSS and the RA Investigative Committee as terrorism against freedom of expression. These mass arrests and searches are unconstitutional and in fact political persecutions. The RA state government should bear full responsibility for these unlawful acts.
Artur Sakunts HCA Vanadzor office
Avetik Ishkhanyan, Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Levon Barseghyan, Journalists’ Club”Asparez”
Seyran Martirosyan, “Khoran Ard” NGO
Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center
Edgar Khachatryan, “Peace Dialogue” NGO
Vahan Tumasyan, “Shirak Center” NGO
Open Society Foundations – Armenia
Artak Zeinalyan, “Rule of Law” NGO
Gevorg Petrosyan, “Biosophia” NGO
