The politicians who spent 8 hours in the police station on October 23 don’t agree with this affirmation made by the Defender of Human Rights.
“Struggle, struggle till the end”,- editor-in-chief of “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper Shogher Matevosyan, editor-in-chief of “Haykakan Zhamanak” newspaper” Nikol Pashinyan, Leader of “Democratic Homeland” Petros Makeyan, Leader of Conservative Party Mikael Hayrapetyan , member of “Alternative” initiative David Matevosyan, member of “Republic” Party Tigran Ter-Margaryan and others left the Police station of Kentron community with this slogan at 03:20 yesterday. Hundreds of supporters were standing outside before they were set free. It is worth to note that 4 members from “Heritage” Party stayed in front of the Police station till the end. Two of them. Zaruhi Postanjyan and Larissa Alaverdyan were accusing the policemen. RA first defender of Human Rights Larissa Alaverdyan was reproaching the policemen saying that they don’t serve for the country, they serve for certain persons.
RA current Defender of Human Rights Armen Harutiunyan was in the police station, too. According to “Noyyan Tapan” Armen Harutiunyan had declared that “human rights have been infringed, since the police haven’t had enough reasons to arrest the above-mentioned persons”. But Armen Harutiunyan said to “Aravot”” I haven’t made such a declaration. The reason of my visit to the police station was to defend those persons process rights. I wanted to know the reason why they had been brought to the police station. The reason was grounded: policemen had been beaten. Nikol Pashinyan and other participants of the procession were also beaten. Each party had its approach and explanation, the approached were discrepant, but no violence has been used”. In answer to our question whether human rights haven’t been infringed, the Ombudsman said: “No pressure has been put on anybody. I even asked Shogher and Nikol whether they need in advocates but there was nobody who wanted an advocate. There were even persons who didn’t give testimony, it is their right”.
We asked the arrested persons whether they thought that their rights hadn’t been infringed. All of them were sure that their rights had been infringed and they had been arrested illegally.
Nikol Pashinyan presented their arguments one by one: “Argument N 1; we have been kept in the police station of Kentron community more than 8 hours, and the reason of our arrest haven’t been explained during those hours. Argument N 2; We have been searched, and no protocol have been drawn up. Argument N 3; the arrested person should stay in that situation not more than 3 hours. We stayed more than 3 hours.”
Petros Makeyan added: “ We weren’t allowed to use advocate’s assistance in the beginning. We weren’t even allowed to make a call.”
Mikael Hayrapetyan said that he hadn’t even been allowed to take a medicine.
Nikol Pashinyan also added: “I have declared that we, as citizens, have acted according to the law but Sashik Afyan, deputy chief of police of Yerevan, has made a crime. I have asked to file a criminal case against him.”