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Armenia Letter to the Armenian Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Regarding the Imprisonment of Arman Babajanian Dear Prime Minister Sargsyan and Minister Danielyan, We are writing to encourage you to ensure the release of the well-known journalist and editor, Arman Babajanian, from prison based on his pending request for parole. July 7, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Letter to the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the US State Department about Concerns in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia Dear Secretary Kramer, We believe that your forthcoming trips to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia provide important opportunities for raising key human rights concerns with the respective governments. Below we outline our main concerns in each country as well as recommendations for bringing the countries in line with their international commitments. June 25, 2008 Letter Printer friendly version Armenia: Leading Human Rights Defender Assaulted Investigate Whether Mikael Danielian Was Targeted for His Human Rights Work As part of their investigation into yesterday’s assault of a leading human rights defender, the Armenian authorities should investigate the extent to which the victim’s human rights work was a motive for the attack, Human Rights Watch said today. Mikael Danielian, the Chairman of the Armenian Helsinki Association, was wounded by an air gun on May 21, 2008 in Yerevan, the country’s capital. Danielian was not seriously wounded. May 22, 2008 Press Release Also available in 
Printer friendly version Armenia after the Election Testimony by Giorgi Gogia, Caucasus Researcher, to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (US Helsinki Commission) The way the Armenian government responds to the crisis following last month's events will test the integrity of its democratic institutions and its commitment to international human rights standards. The United States Government should set clear benchmarks for Armenia, including: investigate alleged excessive use of force by police, stop arbitrary detentions, lift extensive restrictions on freedom of assembly, and stop harassment of the press and opposition supporters. April 17, 2008 Written Statement Printer friendly version Armenia: Sargsian Should Restore Rights Swift Action Needed in Post-election Crisis Following his inauguration on April 9, Armenia’s new president Serzh Sargsian should investigate last month’s violence and take other decisive steps to address the human rights crisis in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch urged Armenia’s international partners to help the country meet its international commitments and get it on track to democratic development. April 8, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Lift Ban on Peaceful Protest Opposition Demonstrators Detained Under New Restrictions The Armenian government should lift new restrictions on freedom of assembly and cease detaining opposition supporters participating in peaceful protests, Human Rights Watch said today. March 27, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Civilians Die as Police Suppress Demonstrations and Riots Authorities Should Swiftly Investigate Use of Lethal Force The Armenian government should launch a prompt and independent investigation into the use of lethal force by security forces to quell demonstrations and rioting overnight on March 1, 2008, Human Rights Watch said today. The violence occurred after a 20-day state of emergency was declared by President Robert Kocharian in response to an alleged threat to public order posed by opposition demonstrators. March 2, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Police Beat Peaceful Protesters in Yerevan State of Emergency Restricts Civil Liberties and Free Press Armenian police on March 1 used excessive force and violence to disperse demonstrators protesting peacefully against recent election results, Human Rights Watch said today. Following the crackdown on demonstrators, President Robert Kocharian decreed a state of emergency in Yerevan, the capital, until March 20, 2008. There was a heavy police presence overnight in central Yerevan. March 1, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Violence at Polling Stations Mars Elections Assailants Target Opposition Activists, Observers and Journalists The Armenian government should investigate alleged assaults on election observers and journalists that marred the presidential election on February 19, 2008, Human Rights Watch said today. According to victim testimonies taken by Human Rights Watch, assailants beat and threatened opposition party activists, domestic observers, and journalists who attempted to document election fraud at polling stations during the presidential vote. February 21, 2008 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Parliament Must Not Silence RFE/RL Strike Down Proposed Laws Curbing Media Freedoms The Armenian parliament should not adopt two draft laws that would effectively ban future broadcasts of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a key source of independent information in that country, Human Rights Watch said today. June 29, 2007 Press Release Also available in
Printer friendly version Armenia: Death in Custody Needs Independent Investigation Human Rights Watch is writing to express its concern about the recent death of 31-year old Levon Gulyan, who died while in the custody of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Yerevan on May 12. Ministry of Internal Affairs officials had been questioning Mr. Gulyan that day and on previous days regarding the killing of Stephan Vardayan. May 23, 2007 Letter Also available in
Printer friendly version EU-South Caucasus: Concrete Human Rights Benchmarks Needed EU Should Not Squander Leverage on Human Rights in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia The European Union should press for concrete benchmarks on torture, freedom of expression and other key human rights issues on Monday when it holds ministerial-level meetings with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Human Rights Watch said today. December 9, 2005 Press Release Printer friendly version Beyond Ukraine, a Grim Picture Post-Soviet Democracy By Rachel Denber, Acting Executive Director, Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia division Published in The International Herald Tribune Elections in the former Soviet Union are stolen all the time, but governments get away with it by stifling democratic institutions. Western leaders need to support struggling civil societies in the region, before there is nothing left to support. December 29, 2004 Commentary Printer friendly version Armenia: Investigate Abuses in Political Crackdown Hundreds of Opposition Members Detained; Protests Put Down by Police Violence (New York, May 4, 2004)—Armenian authorities must investigate abuses committed in the government’s recent crackdown against the political opposition, Human Rights Watch today said in a briefing paper that provided new details on the mass arrest and police violence against opposition supporters. May 4, 2004 Press Release Printer friendly version Electoral Crackdowns in Armenia Ruled Unlawful In February and March, Human Rights Watch quickly responded to reports of arbitrary arrest of opposition activists in Armenia following the first round of presidential elections. Our research showed how the law punishing public order misdemeanors (the Soviet-era Code of Administrative Offenses) was abused in order to imprison key opposition campaign staff and peaceful demonstrators. July 15, 2003 Advocacy Impact Armenia: End Abuse Of Administrative Detention Parliamentary Election Must be Kept Free of Arbitrary Arrests There must be no repeat of the mass arrests that marred Armenia’s recent presidential election, Human Rights Watch said today. Armenia’s parliamentary elections are slated to take place May 25. (Briefing Paper) May 23, 2003 Press Release Printer friendly version The Use of Administrative Detention in the 2003 Armenian Presidential Election Since the mid-1990s, Armenian authorities have used administrative detention as a tool of repression, locking up protesters and activists at times of political tension. The 2003 presidential election and its aftermath mark the most sustained, extensive abuses in the last seven years. May 23, 2003 Background Briefing Printer friendly version Armenian Elections Marred by Abuse After first-round voting in Armenia's presidential elections, held February 19, police arrested up to two hundred opposition campaign officials and supporters in an obvious attempt to intimidate and disable the opposition before the run-off. A press release by Human Rights Watch contributed to a groundswell of domestic and international criticism, which led to the release of at least 32 of the detainees. March 30, 2003 Advocacy Impact Human Rights Defender Imprisoned, Office Set On Fire Post-election arrests and intimidation continue Armenian authorities should release a human rights defender detained by police on March 15, Human Rights Watch said today. March 18, 2003 Press Release Printer friendly version Armenia: Election Marred by Intimidation, Ballot Stuffing Widespread ballot stuffing and intimidation marred Armenia’s presidential election runoff, Human Rights Watch said today. March 7, 2003 Press Release Printer friendly version |
 
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