The Delegation of the European Commission
of the European Union to Georgia and Armenia
To the Ambassador H.E. Mr. Per Göran Eklund
of the European Union to Georgia and Armenia
To the Ambassador H.E. Mr. Per Göran Eklund
Situation
The situational analyses of the latest developments in Armenia clearly showed that the result of the February 19th Presidential Elections has provoked mass demonstrations to protect the genuine result achieved by the opposition presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian. The protest rally of people angry and dissatisfied with the election results have been held in the capital of Armenia – Yerevan. Some state officials participating in the meetings and objecting the election forgery were dismissed from the jobs; some of them were even arrested. The opposition leader is under home arrest. As the available evidence and revealed facts suggest, during the first days after the dismissal of the meeting there have been mass arrests of civilians participating in the rallies.
It is clear that the inexistence of the appropriate channels of communications and the lack of readiness of the parties for the peaceful reconciliation of the dispute resulted in a violent dismissal of the rally on March 1 of the current year. Because of these, intense political rivalry gave raise to the armed clash between the state authority and people – supporters of opposition presidential candidate - resulting in the death of 8 people and serious injuries of more than 130 peaceful civilians and representatives of the armed governmental forces. These facts are supported by the report released by the “Human Rights Watch” according to which demonstrators have been mercilessly beaten up even though they were severally injured, physically and emotionally exhausted and some of them even were in unconscious physical conditions.
As a result of the clashes between the state armed forces and peaceful demonstrations the State of Emergency was enacted in Yerevan for 20 days. According to the appropriate legal act the censorship is imposed on media (TV and press, as well as internet editions). The dissemination of leaflets and other politically implicated information as well as news regarding the inner political situation in a country is also outlawed. In addition, rallies, meetings and other events are also banned. The restrictions on the functioning of non governmental and political organizations have also been imposed by the State of Emergency.
As the latest developments undergoing in the country demonstrate some opposition members are being detained by state authorities. Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosian addressed his supporters to postpone the conduction of the protest rally until the removal of the State of Emergency. However, the anger and hatred among his supporters is still rising and may at any time acquire the treacherous dimensions.
Situation is getting severe and may get at any time out of hand after the announcement made by the Chief of Staff of Armenia to the population “to refrain from assembly in Yerevan even in small groupings with regard of which even in any suspicious situation the armed forces will apply to the appropriate measures having determined by the law and constitution.”
We deeply believe that the peculiar politically situation and extreme violence on the part of the state could be avoided in case the timely and adequate involvement of the appropriate international institutions such as European Council and UN closely watching and observing the pre and after the elections developments in Armenia.
Petition
Taking into consideration the fact that the European Union already expressed its view regarding the latest developments in Armenia, we, citizens of Georgia, worried about the violations of human rights resulting in the death and violent beating of people kindly ask you to pay a closer attention to the following issues related to:
- The breading of hatred in mass media controlled by the authorities;
- The continued mass arrests of demonstrators who participated in the rallies and the members of opposition parties, as well as the state of health condition of the arrested demonstrators;
- The release from the actual home arrest the leader of the opposition Levon Ter-Petrosian;
- The removal of the State of Emergency restricting human rights on the freedom of speech and movement (assembly) as well as the removal of restrictions on the functioning of mass media, political parties and NGOs.
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