Tradition continues: no transportation
Roads are once again closed on the day of the Armenian National Congress rally.
As reported from Ashtarak, there were no buses and taxis on the Yerevan-Ashtarak highway. Villagers said buses weren't even moving to the villages and there were only police cars.
Police officers are trying to set restrictions at the car station in Aparan so that even taxis don't make it to Yerevan.
The situation is the same in Etchmiadzin, Hoktemberyan, Artashat, Gavar and Vanadzor.
As head of the Armenian National Congress's structure in Gavar Koryun Mheryan told "A1+", "the chief of police has taken supervision of roads into his own hands."
According to the Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in Vanadzor, citizens' right to free mobility is being violated due to the lack of awareness and activity of regional authorities, law-enforcement bodies and the RA Ministry of Transport.
"Despite the authorities' April 27 announcement that they acknowledge the standard rights of citizens to express opinions and rallies, there are still crude violations. We view the situation as a fact that any initiative of the authorities in terms of human rights protection doesn't correspond to the reality and the authorities have no will to eliminate the constant violations of human rights," as stated in the announcement.
Today the Armenian National Congress will hold a rally at Freedom Square at 18:00. This is actually the first rally permitted at Freedom Square since 2008.
