Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor hereby presents the Report on human rights violations by the Police in 2021, based on mass media monitoring.

Based on mass media publications, 159 cases of human rights violation by the Police were recorded in 2021. 

192 cases of human rights violations by the Police were recorded in 2020, 90 cases were recorded in 2019, 181 cases were recorded in 2018, 107 cases were recorded in 2017, 338 cases were recorded in 2016, 304 cases were recorded in 2015 (see Table 1).Thus, the number of violations decreased by 33 (17.2%) as compared to 2020, increased by 69 (43․4%) as compared to 2019, decreased by 22 (12․2%) as compared to 2018, increased by 52 cases  (32.7%) as compared to 2017, decreased by 159 cases (47%) as compared to 2016, and decreased by 145 cases (47.7%) as compared to 2015. Noteworthy, in 2021, violations decreased by only 17% as compared to the previous year, while in 2019, the number of violations increased by 43․4%.

Cases of human rights violations by Police doubled in 2020 as compared to 2019, and slightly decreased in 2021. 

In 2021, 94 cases of human rights violations by Police were recorded during or as a result of participation in assemblies. As compared to the index of 2020, this index decreased by 17 (15․3%). As compared to 2019, it increased by 45 (47․9%); as compared to 2018, it decreased by 40 (29․8%); as compared to the index of 2017, it increased by (60.6%); as compared to the index of 2016, it decreased by 69 (42.3%); as compared to the index of 2015, it decreased by 107 (53․2%).

In 2021, 51 cases of individual nature were recorded. As compared to the index of 2020, this index decreased by 30 cases (37%). As compared to 2019, this index increased by 10 (19.6%); as compared to 2018, this index increased by 4 cases (7.9%); as compared to the  index of 2017, this index decreased by 19 cases (27.1%); as compared to the index of 2016, this index decreased by 118 (70.2%); as compared to the index of 2015, this index decreased by 52 (50.5%).  

In 2021, 14 cases of human rights violations by police officers were recorded in the context of elections. 

The right to liberty and security was violated most (86 cases) and these violations amount to more than half (54%) of the total number of violations. 60 cases of violation of this right were recorded during assemblies, 21 violations of this right were of individual nature, 5 violations were recorded in the context of elections. As compared to last year, this index decreased by 22,5% (111 cases in 2020). 

44 cases of violation of the right to liberty and security were recorded in 2019 (48․8% of cases), 76 cases of violation of this right were recorded in 2018 (42% of cases). 16 cases of violatiօn of the aforementioned right were recorded in 2017 (15%). The right to liberty and security were violated 157 times (46.4% of the total number of cases) in 2016 and 70 times in 2015 (23% of the total number of cases).

The second right violated most was the right to peaceful assembly without weapon. 83 cases of violation (52․2% of the total number of violations) were recorded in 2021. 101 cases of violation were recorded in 2020, this amounts to 52.6% of the total number of violations. As compared to 2019, this index increased by  71․3% (29 cases).

In 2018, 81 violations of the right to peaceful assembly without weapon were recorded (44.8% of cases). 73 of those cases were recorded during April 7-25, 2018. This right was violated 17 times (44.8% of cases) in 2017, 121 times in 2016 (35.8% of cases), and 96 times in 2015 (31.6% of cases). 

The right to be free from physical violence was also violated most frequently (68 cases amounting to 42.8%).

84 cases of violation of this right were recorded in 2020 (43,8% of cases), 41 cases were recorded in 2019 (45․5% of cases). The right to be free from physical violence was violated 84 times in 2018 (amounting to 46.4% of the total number of violations), 62 times in 2017 (amounting to 49.1% of cases). The right to be free from physical violence was violated 141 times in 2016 (amounting to 41.7% of the total number of cases), and 37 times in 2015 (amounting to 12.2% of the total number of cases).

We can record that the following rights remain the ones violated most often: the right to liberty and security; the right to peaceful assembly without weapon; the right to be free from physical violence.

Majority of cases were traditionally recorded in Yerevan (123 cases, 77.4% of total number of violations). 

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