One Year on: No one held accountable for police violence against Electric Yerevan protesters
One year has passed since the crackdown on the peaceful protest dubbed “Electric Yerevan” in the Armenian capital but no one has been brought to justice for the violence against the demonstrators protesting against an electricity-price hike in Armenia. Last summer, Armenia was rattled by 2 weeks of protests over plans by a Russian-owned company to increase electricity prices by 16 percent from August. Protesters again gathered in the hundreds in Yerevan’s Baghramyan Avenue on the evening of June 23 after police forcefully scattered the group earlier in the day. At daybreak, hundreds of riot police moved in against protesters using batons and water cannons. Police also beat journalists and destroyed or confiscated their equipment, sparking international condemnation. Over 200 people were detained and many of them were allegedly chased, hit, beaten, kicked and/or put in choke-hold by police. Video footage showed that plainclothes police officers took an active part in the detention and ill-treatment of protesters on Baghramian Avenue, a key traffic artery. The detainees were illegally deprived of freedom and were kept in police departments for more than 4 hours. Many were questioned as witnesses, their mobile phones were confiscated. Dozens of activists were taken to the clinic to undergo drug tests. For a long time, lawyers were not allowed to visit and provide to legal assistance to the detainees. The release of detainees was made possible only after lengthy negotiations. On the same day, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office filed a report with the country’s Special Investigative Service (SIS). Based on the report, the SIS launched criminal charges on July 2, 2015 saying that police officers had exceeded their powers in an obvious manner, had used violence against demonstrators and journalists, hindering reporters from carrying out their professional duties and causing property damage. Only one investigator was initially involved in the criminal case while the criminal case against the protesters was investigated by a team of 20 investigators which later expanded to 53. Thirty-one people, including 18 media representatives, were recognized as an injured party. Only some journalists received compensation. One year has passed since the violent crackdown but no individual has been charged so far, although the SIS claims that various forensic and other examinations have been carried out.
