"The authorities must apologize"
Several NGOs have issued a statement in defense of Raffi Hovhannisian.
Statement
Raffi Hovhannisian has been on a hunger strike at Freedom Square for ten days now. We the undersigned express full support to his actions and share his concerns separately and as a whole. Those concerns have forced us to take this measure and it is only the authorities' attitude toward the situation that compels us to issue this statement.
Ever since Raffi Hovhannisian took this extreme but peaceful measure, the authorities haven't been sparing efforts to belittle him and eliminate his enormous efforts aimed at drawing attention to the injustice that is screaming out in the country. The authorities are doing that through police officers directly and their submissive presses indirectly.
We are issuing this statement with the demand for the protection of our compatriot's rights and dignity which he and each citizen unreservedly deserves.
We demand
1. An immediate apology from the Armenian authorities, that is, the RA Police, which are consistently violating Raffi Hovhannisian's rights and belittling him through ongoing assaults by not letting him pitch a tent and not providing conditions for him to exercise his civil rights.
2. The guarantee of all necessary means, including, but not only the placement of a tent that is heated, the ongoing presence of doctors and, most importantly civil and respectful behavior on the part of police officers.
The statement is open for everyone to join.
Open Society Foundations-Armenia
Helsinki Committee of Armenia NGO
Yerevan Press Club NGO
Cooperation for Democracy NGO
Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
"Asbarez" Journalists' Club
Committee in Defense of Freedom of Speech
Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in Vanadzor
