Many say that the campaign of coercion and intimidation recently unleashed by Pashinyan is being carried out at Azerbaijan’s behest — or under the direction of certain outside forces — as part of an assault on our national identity. That is, of course, partly true. But if those external orders contradicted the Prime Minister’s main objective — to hold on to his seat — he would not have taken those steps. In this case, we are dealing with a convergence of interests, a kind of harmony. For instance, the imprisonment of Ruben Vardanyan and Samvel Karapetyan serves the interests of both Aliyev and Pashinyan at once.
Let us, however, focus on the internal factor. From that standpoint, the repressions are a classic “pre-election technology”, typical of all autocratic regimes: isolate potential opponents, suppress every serious center of resistance, and create an atmosphere of fear. Therefore, when government officials beat their chests claiming they don’t rig elections, that is a lie — through these showy arrests and blatant legal arbitrariness, they are already falsifying them.
Moreover, the manner in which this is done stands out for its particular brazenness. For example, it wasn’t enough for Pashinyan that attorney Aleksandr Kochubayev be simply summoned to the National Security Service or the police and then detained. The “chief” wanted the spectacle of black-clad men throwing the lawyer to the ground — to “spread him on the asphalt,” as they say, or “slam him against the walls.” Law enforcement staged this whole performance precisely to obtain such footage. Why does the Prime Minister need those scenes?
First, to relish once more the sense of his own power while watching them. Second, to instill fear — a warning that from now on, this is what will happen to anyone who dares to utter a harsh word to investigators and prosecutors serving him.
I have every reason to believe that the terror will only intensify. There are two reasons. The first, which I have spoken about often, is that Europe’s so-called champions of democracy — along with the Armenian NGOs linked to them — in essence welcome the repressive measures unleashed by Pashinyan. The second is that the opposition forces are neither united nor influential enough to prevent these open displays of brute force and lawlessness.
So do not be surprised if, come Monday, there are new arrests.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
