Human rights organizations demand immediate release of Vardges Gaspari (video)
A number of human rights organizations in Armenia have issued a joint statement demanding immediate release of prominent civil activist Vardges Gaspari. “On February 19, 2016, a Yerevan court made an illegal decision to detain Gaspari. The civil activist was not present at the court hearing where the decision to take him into custody was made. This is the second time in the last two months, when courts in Armenia deprive the civil activist of his freedom, executing an obvious political order. Gaspari is well known as a bold man with firm political beliefs, a staunch government critic who persistently and consistently raises various important issues related to human rights and illegalities in Armenia. He shows no selectivity in the choice of protest addressees and criticizes equally representatives of the political elite and the opposition. State agencies, namely the police fight Gaspari's uncompromising relentless stance and sharp criticism with targeted unlawfulness, such as persecution, violence, torture, and degrading treatment, trying to suppress his freedom of speech and his constitutional right to freedom of expression. The activist refused to participate in court hearings, taking into account their formal nature and the biased attitude of the judge and rightly expressed his mistrust for the legal system. The appeal has been signed by the following organizations: Transparency International Anti-corruption Centre Helsinki Citizens' Assembly – Vanadzor Journalists' Club "Asparez" Helsinki Committee of Armenia Open Society Foundations – Armenia Journalists for Human Rights Hope NGO Peace Dialogue NGO Public Information and Need of Knowledge (PINK Armenia) Youth for Human Rights NGO Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Armenian Centre Army in Reality Public Initiative
