Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Today, on 5 May 2022, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor  made two crime reports to the RA Prosecutor General’s Office based on more than a dozen videos published in media showing police violence against protesters and media representatives covering the protest actions.

The report is based on the following publications: (in Armenian) “What an atrocity!” “The Police used violence to open Saryan street”, “The Police used violence even against a citizen with disabilities” “The policeman hits the citizen in the head and drags him from the street”, “The Head Of The State Security Service Kicked A Cameraman Who Was Filming The Opposition Rally”, “Police violence”, “Alarm: they are dragging us just like Sevan policemen”,  “Police apprehending participants of civil disobedience actions in Yerevan”, “The Police using force against peaceful protesters”, “Disrespectful treatment of the policeman towards the deputy”, “On Sevan road a protester fainted due to policemen’s violent actions”, “Policemen use force to apprehend protesters”, “HRD: Policemen seized citizens’ phones in order to identify them”, “Policemen using force to apprehend participants of a peaceful march (video)”, “Young ARF members abducted by policemen”, “The policemen continue using force to apprehend citizens”, “They were swearing, beating, hitting like wild beasts” says the deputy about the incident with policemen, Let him go, he’s just a child, what are you doing? says the citizen to those wearing red berets, Policemen use force to apprehend a minor, A policemen wearing a red beret  “took” money from a protester’s pocket: a report was made to the police, HRD: There were mass cases of disproportionate force used against citizens when apprehending them; HRD: Police made violations, and the fact that public figures welcome police actions is condemnable , A brawl started near Hrazdan sports arena: they tried to apprehend deputy Aram Vardevanyan .

HCA Vanadzor claimed from the RA Prosecutor General to take measures to properly investigate cases recorded by the materials presented through the reports, to initiate a criminal case in case of disclosing crime features, as well as to find the responsible policemen and hold them liable.

On May 2, HCA Vanadzor made 2 crime reports about cases of violence used against protesters and media representatives.