Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Over the past weeks HCA Vanadzor has been receiving information from RF citizens who, avoiding political persecutions, took refuge in Armenia.

The RF citizens who found refuge in Armenia have noticed  persons dressed in the Russian Federation military uniforms near their residence places, who overtly follow them and seek information as to who resides in apartments they oversee.  

We managed to find out that representatives of law enforcement agencies in Russian military uniforms are using an unregistered passenger car with an Armenian license plate, which is intended exclusively for operational intelligence operations.

It is obvious that the RF law enforcement representatives are carrying out an external observation operational-intelligence operation, for which they need to have the permission and agreement of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office or other law enforcement authorities. It turns out that the RF authorities carry out political persecutions against their oppositionists not only in the Russian Federation territory, but in the Republic of Armenia as well.  

This situation is extremely worrisome not only for the RF citizens who found refuge in Armenia, but also the RA citizens who have an obviously critical attitude towards the policy of the Russian authorities. 

The RF citizens who applied to HCA Vanadzor note that they no longer feel safe in Armenia and are seeking other options for safety and security.

We hereby draw the attention of the RA authorities to the inadmissible, illegal activities of the Russian law enforcement on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.

HCA Vanadzor strongly condemns such activities and considers them as incompatible  with commitments of a democratic state governed by the rule of law. We find that these activities are directed against  the sovereign democratic state of Armenia governed by the rule of law.

HCA Vanadzor demands from the RA Prosecutor General’s Office, the RA National Security Service and the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs  to take urgent proportionate measures  not only to stop illegalities of the Russian federation law enforcement in Armenia, but also hold liable perpetrators of such activities.