U.S. Embassy in Armenia condemns attacks on civic activists
12.09.2013,
15:10
In a statement today the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan condemned attacks on civil society activists, including a U.S. citizen, urging the Armenian government to take immediate measures to condemn these attacks, to investigate and punish those responsible. According to the statement, t the attacks began on August 22, 2013.
YEREVAN, September 12. / ARKA /. In a statement today the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan condemned attacks on civil society activists, including a U.S. citizen, urging the Armenian government to take immediate measures to condemn these attacks, to investigate and punish those responsible. According to the statement, t the attacks began on August 22, 2013.
"During the last attack on September 5, two citizens were brutally beaten, as a result of which they were taken to the hospital, where one of them was operated on. In parallel to the attack there have been a lot of reports that the activists are being persecuted, threatened and terrorized," the statement said.
"The government must guarantee citizens' fundamental rights for assembly, expression, and freedom of speech without fear of reprisal," the statement said.
On September Haykak Arshamian, a program coordinator at the Yerevan Press Club, and Suren Saghatelian from Transparency International Armenia branch were beaten up by several unidentified men and hospitalized shortly after attending an anti-government gathering.
Amnesty International demanded last week that the Armenian authorities investigate the September 5 attack “impartially and effectively.” “The authorities are obliged to promote the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association. Only an effective investigation will demonstrate that they take their human rights obligations seriously,” the London-based group said in a statement. -0-
