After the publication of the court verdict of opposition group “Founding Parliament” member Jirair Sefilian, the Armenian media started circulating news as if the West supports the opposition groups, even armed groups such as “Sasna Tsrer”, for the purpose of change of power in Armenia.
Aysor.am requested the US Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia, Richard Mills, to receive an explanation. Read the whole answer below:
“This circulating news could not have been farther than the reality. We do not support groups which try to overthrow the elected authorities illegally. And especially such groups as “Sasna Tsrer”, who prefer violence over dialogue, we definitely condemn. We do not tolerate the actions of “Sasna Tsrer” and others, who apply violence or threaten to damage others to develop their political agenda. Last year human lives were lost because of “Sasna Tsrer” members’ actions, and the residents of the nearby district appeared in a terrible situation pointlessly. The application of violence as a tool for making political change contradicts to not only the American value system but also the global democratic values of the respect towards human life. Violence puts the democratic values under threat from all angles, and it can never be tolerated. Thus – no, we do not support such groups or such actions. In line with this, the right to a just trial should be applied to all accused people.”