Political prisoners, violations, and silence all continue...

Lindblad is in essence boycotting the Council of Europe Democracy Forum which is to be held later this month in Yerevan. Having apparently voted against the forum being held in Armenia in the first place, he has stated recently that time and again the scheduled visits by co-rapporteurs to Armenia have been postponed, and members of the Armenian government have denied requests to meet with the Co-rapporteurs on the sidelines of the Forum. In a letter addressed to the Chair of the Armenian Delegation, he harshly criticized the Armenian government, and wrote "[these actions] seem to confirm my assumption that Armenia is not yet mature enough to host the Forum" (the letter is already posted by nazarian). Per Lindblad, the letter upset Co-rapporteur Prescott, who took the side of the Armenian Government.
Postanjyan also had something to say about the matter, pointing out that if Lindblad had really wanted to come, he had multiple prior opportunities, and that in fact, he was too busy with his own election campaign (which he lost) to come to Armenia. A loss which means that after November, Lindblad will no longer be a Co-rapporteur, and will have to be replaced. Per Lindblad, his impending replacement is being used by the Armenian government, that they are likely waiting for his replacement with "a less independent rapporteur" to allow the visit.

All of this is very important in its place. But what often gets forgotten in such situations is the fundamental reality that myself and many others have pointed out - Democracy and Human Rights are NOT a priority for PACE, or other Western Countries. Such principles are paraded and flaunted here and there, but are really just tools for bargaining. A few months back a close friend noted that the US at least seemed to have washed its hands of the Armenian situation, almost as if saying it wasn't worth the trouble, and leaving the issue to Russia to deal with. I wasn't sure then if I agreed, and I'm still not sure, but I cant say I completely disagree, either.

Its not just that gross violations of basic human rights and life occurred, it is that they CONTINUE to occur:

Police harassment and ludicrous trials continue, like the ones of Sargis Gevorgyan and Davit Kiramijyan...
Freedom of Press continues to exist only as a shadow, with laws being discussed now that will continue to restrict and silence voices with non-government opinions...
There continue to be over a dozen political prisoners in Armenia, at least one of whom (journalist Nikol Pashinyhan) has recently been threatened as he continues to write opposition articles even from his jail cell...
Liberty Square itself is now a political prisoner... the government continues to refuse any opposition meetings be held in Liberty Square, and continues to add small children's pasttimes to the square to provide an excuse for refusal...

But there is no sound of protest from PACE to any of this, or the myriad of other such violations of humanity.

If opposition voices were to be allowed to have a voice on television, and if Liberty Square was in fact open to the people, that is, if there were even a decent shred of Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly, those voices of opposition which have been silenced by fear, would again come to life...

Would the regime fire on the people again?
And if they did, would the world reactions be any different?

When eyewitnesses are actually the guilty ones, and have gone missing...

The trial of Davit Kiramijyan and Sargis Gevorgyan continued on August 26, but these aren't their pictures... Why do I have these pictures here? The pictures were taken during the May 31 events near Liberty Square when police attacked peacefully gathered citizens. The Tadevosyans (brother and sister on the left)and Ruben Ayvazyan (on the Right) were there, too. But in what capacity? These three are eyewitnesses in the case against the defendants, but failed to show up to court... Not something new in Armenia these days, eyewitnesses seem fail to show more often than they actually show up in cases against opposition activists. But there's even more.


Among the many detentions/forced trips to the police station that occurred over those few days (May 31 was the 3rd or 4th day in a series), at least three individuals were kept for three days (including Ani Gevorgyan and Sargis Gevorgyan), and one of them, Davit Kiramijyan, was kept in detention for over a month. For what? Supposed hooliganism, violence against a government representative, public disturbance... But how did any of that, how did the scuffle which undoubtedly occurred, come to pass?

On June 16, Haykakan Zhamanak published an article which answers this question. Were Varazdat Tadevosyan, his sister Lusine Tadevosyan, and Ruben Ayvazyan mere passer-by's who got entangled and fell victim to a scuffle? It turns out that the two of them at least may have initially presented themselves to reporters as members of the Ombudsman's office, this was however denied by the Ombudsman (aka DollarArmen) in a letter to Police Chief Alik Sargsyan. The two young men, Davit Tadevosyan and Ruben Ayvazyan, were actually arrested as well - they were released on July 3, and further pursuit of the charges against them were dropped. And, as per HZH, these two likely provided, along with the testimony of Lusine Tadevosyan, as alleged eyewitnesses, everything the police needed to charge the oppositionist youth.

The HZH article goes on, though. And it points out in detail how these three actually incited the scuffles and altercations which occurred, all of which can be seen on video footage of the incident: how Lusine Tadevosyan attaked Ani Gevorgyan, how Ruben Ayvazyan and Varazdat Tadevosyan incited arguments with journalists, how Varazdat Tadevosyan tried to stop Ani Gevorgyan from taking pictures, and how the final scuffle which resulted in Davit Kiramijyan being taken away, was actually incited by Davit Tadevosyan... HZH goes on to point out just how convenient it is that the arguments incited by the Tadevosyans and Ayvazyan are always in perfect view of the camera.

I couldn't find the part about the Ombudsman anywhere other than on HZH. I did find several articles (Zhamanak, Aysor) noting that Kiramijyan thought that Varazdat Tadevosyan was part of the police force, which would seem to be the case for those who have watched the videos and followed this story at all. The police often have plainclothes members either beating protesters, hauling them off, or inciting disputes - and watching the videos, you can tell who's who. Plainclothes police stand mingled in to uniformed police, or off to the side or behind the police, coming forward and becoming active when necessary.

And now, the Tadevosyans and Ayvazyan, on whose testimony the case is based almost entirely, are not showing up to court (there is also a Lilit Gevorgyan named, but I'm not sure who she is). They apparently sent word that they were out of the country, but there was no proof of this. Now, the plan is to arrest them and bring them to court.

What a farce. None of it new, and unfortunately none of it surprising. But still, just ridiculous. Just more ways of continuing the intimidation, trying to keep the show going while the theater is on fire, and everyone quiet...

Let's not forget that former political prisoner Vardges Gaspari was not allowed into the courtroom, and neither was Sargis Gevorgyan's own mother. Gaspari was forcibly removed while he practiced civil disobedience - he received several bruises and other injuries while doing so.

Davit Kiramijyan has been set free

Kiramijyan has been released!

But why?
Is it because of the upcoming visit by Hilary Clinton?
Is it because the OSCE Co-Chairs are coming?
Is it because of national and international pressure - likely in part due to including the recent letter by the HAK youth to the OSCE, the weekly protests by youth in support of Davit, and other such public and surely more behind the scenes actions?
Is it because the banditocracy does not want to give the opposition, especially the extremely visible and convincing youth, a reason to be out protesting in the streets while there are international visitors?
(Remember what happened when FIDH was in town)

Probably some combination of the above. But the fact that he was released at all, and so abruptly at that, goes to show a couple of things:

First, the regime knows what its doing its wrong.
Not only that, they know what to do to make it look not so wrong, so that can get what they want in other spheres.
And, voices matter. Every voice, every letter, every protester, every citizen - every one of these matters - and the more voices, the better...

Which is really just another way of saying...

+1 +1 +1 +1 +1...

It does leave me with a couple of other questions, though, like -
Who do we have to bring to Armenia to have Pashinyan and the other political prisoners, let out of prison?

And... Since I can't help asking - Is there anyone we could bring that could get certain culpable oligarchs and banditocrats (read Sargsyan, Kocharyan, and the rest of their gang) INTO jail?

ANC Youth Wing Letter to OSCE Regarding Davit Kiramijyan

UPDATE: here it is in Armenian
English Document Link Here

H.E. Mr. Kanat Saudabayev,
The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,
Kazakhstan's Secretary of State and Foreign Minister

Excellency,

Since 2003, when the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian police signed their first memorandum of understanding, the Office has initiated the implementation of a number of projects focusing on the introduction of democratic policing practices. The Armenian Media has been broadly covering the involvement of the OSCE in the process of the reformation of the Police.

Just to make a comparison - in 2004 our neighboring Georgia also started similar programme. As a result of deep structural reforms today almost 80 % of the population of Georgia trusts the Police. Now the Ministry of Interior of Georgia became one of the most credible and efficient structures in the country. Citizens of Armenia, notwithstanding TV blockade on any positive information on Georgia, are also aware that with the assistance of international structures, the political leadership of Georgia successfully implemented the task of the fighting the Police corruption and making its work visible and transparent to everybody.

Coming to Armenia we also see statements, mainly by the OSCE, on the success of the reforms in Police. However what we see on the ground is that 5 years after the cooperation with the OSCE Yerevan Office, during March 1, 2008 events, the Police shoot to death 10 peaceful demonstrators and bullet-wounded about 200 persons. Then the Police arrested more than 150 opposition supporters and intimidated thousands. We do not state, that it happened due to failings of the international organizations, since we know the capacity of cooperation and the dept of the involvement of the international community in the reforms. But we strongly regret that no statement, calling or stating that Armenian Police must behave as an institution should in democratic country, has been made by the organization leading that process - the OSCE. There was no condemnation or even a reaction of the OSCE Yerevan Office on the bloody crackdown on opposition, no comments on the persecutions of oppositional figures months and years followed the March 1 deadly events.

Now the OSCE supports another Police Reform programme, which covers 11 areas. How credible could be the programme when the OSCE Yerevan Office did not react to the vandal behavior of the Police on May 28, 29, 30 and 31, June 1, 2010? On these days the Armenian Police violated the right to freedom of movement by not letting to enter the Freedom Square (Azatutyan hraparak). During the mentioned 5 days, about 30 Armenian citizens were apprehended by the police without any legal substantiation. David Qiramijyan, a nineteen-year-old student, who studies at the Institute of Cinema and Theatre, is among them. Probably feeling the backing of one of the most prominent international organizations, the
Police charged three persons with serious indictments. The reporter of Armenian Times daily Ms. Ani Gevorgian is among that three.

Mr. David Qiramijyan, who was arrested on May 31, just wanted to enter the Freedom Square with some young members of the opposition. David was arrested by people who were not dressed in police uniforms. Then during the transportation to the Police station he was beaten by police officers and his leg, which had already undergone a surgical operation, was injured yet again and, in addition, he is currently suffering also from constant headaches. He has not been provided with any medical care until today, in spite of the results of his medical examination available to the police, in which it is clearly stated that David needs medical care and in the absence of appropriate medical interventions he risks losing the ability to move.

On June 3, David Qiramijyan was charged with hooliganism and was sanctioned to 2 months detention as a detention measure. According to the Armenian Legislation and various international agreements the decision of the court is illegal.

The leadership of the Armenian National Congress has provided to the OSCE Yerevan Office the video materials of the attack of the Police, so the brutality of the actions of the police is obvious. We believed that after that there would be relevant reaction, pressure on the Police to release Mr. David Qiramijyan. However there was no reaction by the OSCE Yerevan Office, which allowed authorities to continue keeping the young activist in prison.

Dear Minister,

We would like to ask you to urge the Armenian authorities to free David Qiramjyan immediately, since he has not committed any crime. He only used his right of free movement and we would like to ask you to urge the authorities to identify the real instigators. We also are requesting you to execute your authority to make the OSCE Yerevan Office’s efforts in the reformation of Armenian Police more effective.


Respectfully,

Youth Branch, Armenian National Congress


CC to:

H.E. Ambassador Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, the OSCE Secretary General

H.E. Ambassador Yanes Lenarcic, the ODIHR Director

Armenia's Police Digging for Excuses

The police seem to really be digging for anything to charge the protesters, especially Ani Gevorgyan, with, these days. And they seem to have really put in a lot of work in trying to convince anyone around that their own actions, violence and arrests are justified.

I took many long looks at the video posted on police.am of the protests over the last weekend of May. First of all, the fact that these incidents were important enough for them to put together a video, with a voice over, AND then, post it on their website just below their police video, is a sign of just how hard they're trying to justify themselves, and really, just how scared they are. What are they scared of?... In Bazaz's own words

“Large numbers of people must not gather here. If 100, 150 or 200 persons gather here today, this square will become a rally site tomorrow.”

The video they posted is a series of clips from May 29 and May 31- and the only reason I know that is because some of the clips have a date and time at the bottom left, some don't.

Now, Ani is charged with assaulting an officer, but where is the proof?? The video clip, which seems to be offered up as some type of evidence, shows her knocking a hat off of a policeman's head - but no contact with his head, or any other part of his body. Where's the assault?

That portion of the video is not dated, but it is embedded in videos that are from May 31. Yet, it is impossible that that video is from May 31. On May 31, Ani was wearing a RED shirt, but in the video where she knocks off the hat, she is wearing a BLACK shirt. So when is it that video from? Do the police even know?


And, if that video is not from the 31st, it must be from before then, since she was arrested on the 31st. Why didn't they arrest her before, if it happened before? If she hit a police officer on May 31, then it makes sense that they would arrest her on May 31. But I can't find what day she supposedly committed this alleged assault- maybe its somewhere, in some article, but I can't find it. Do the police even know?But all video footage of May 31, from a1plus and azatutyun, show her on the sidelines, camera in her right hand (attached to a right arm in a RED sleeve) in the air, doing her job as a photojournalist. Still no proof of assault.

It seems to me the police went back over their videos and tried to look for something, anything, to charge her on. They came up with this video, that has no date, and threw it in among videos from May 31, to make it look like she was arrested that day she knocked the hat off, to try to justify their own actions.

[Top photo is of Davit Kiramijyan, who remains in prison on charges of hooliganism, from a1plus]

Alik Sargsyan: drop the charges, resign, and go - and take your little gang with you

These are pictures of Sargis Gevorgyan, Ani Gevorgyan, and Davit Kiramijyan. These three were arrested on May 31 after being present during a peaceful protest in Liberty Square (well, at least it started out that way until the police got involved, as usual). Ani Gevorgyan, in fact, is a photojournalist, and her presence in that regard is protected by numerous international human rights laws. Not to mention that the rights of Sargis Gevorgyan and Davit Kiramijyan, and any other citizens, to be present peacefully in Liberty Square is protected by law. Of course, laws, human rights, and logic don't mean much these days under the present regime.

For those not familiar with the system, this is how it works in Armenia. If you piss off a policeman (or policewoman, for that matter), you can be taken in for questioning to the police station - questioning regarding your identity, address, and apparently other basic such information. By the end of three hours, you need to either be released, or charged and arrested. If they charge/arrest you, they can keep you up to 72 hours. By the end of 72 hours, a court decides whether you will stay in detention until your trial (pre-trial detention), be released with travel restrictions and bail, or have all the charges dropped. The pre-trial detention can supposedly be for up to two months, but can be postponed an unlimited number of times, from what I understand.

So, while I am very happy that Ani and Sargis Gevorgyan have been released, the following is true:

1. None of them should have been taken in, arrested or detained, at all;
2. ALL three still have charges against them, and will have to go to court;
3. Davit Kiramijyan is STILL in pre-trial detention

As far as I am concerned, the charges against these individuals, and their detentions, are not only unjust, but completely illegal, as is the persistent violent and aggressive behavior of the RA police against the citizens of Armenia, and the continued attempts at keeping opposition members out of Liberty Square.

And it seems that numerous international and national organizations feel the same way, as several statements have been released which express the same fundamental sentiment.

Kiramijyan needs to be released - but that is only the tip of the iceberg. The charges need to be dropped. Alik Sargsyan(for yet one more reason) needs to resign.

Alik, just go, and take the rest of this banditocracy with you, and don't forget your red berets, your plainclothesed minions, and your snipers. But, maybe, actually, leave Bazaz, because I think maybe he just needs a hug, or a lollipop, or maybe Unzipped has figured something out.

[permission obtained for photo]