Qajaran village headman taken to police department
EcoLur received a signal that at 3:00am December 14, Qajaran village headman Rafik Atyan was visited by two police officers who escorted him to the police station.
A couple of hours later the villagers were told that Atyan had been taken to the police department in Kapan town. The locals view this as an attempt to make the village headman sign an agreement thereby allowing Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine to take possession of their lands.
On 28 April 2011, the Armenian Government adopted a decision № 627-N "On Recognizing Eminent Domain of Public Land Areas in Qajaran and a few other settlements. It means that 27 ha of agricultural land areas in Qajaran village will be given to Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine without taking into consideration villagers' opinion on the ‘deal.'
The villagers demand that the government annul its disgraceful decision.
Rafik Atyan was released later in the day.
