Protests over Nagorno-Karabakh continue: hundreds detained, dozens charged

Introduction

Armenian government approves action plan for human rights

In late September 2023, the Armenian Government approved the new 2023-2025 Action Plan for the National Strategy on Human Rights Protection. Transparency International noted that although the Strategy was adopted in 2021, it lacked a coherent action plan for implementation. The newly approved action plan addresses this gap, complementing the Strategy by detailing its purpose, objectives and mission.

According to Transparency, the Action Plan and the Strategy provide a comprehensive framework for assessing the current state of human rights in Armenia, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. This framework also facilitates the involvement of relevant actors in fulfilling Armenia's obligations to respect and protect human rights.

Freedom of peaceful assembly

Violent protests in Yerevan lead to numerous arrests

As CIVICUS Monitor previously reported, violent protests broke out in Yerevan in September following Azerbaijan's military offensive in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, leading to clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement and numerous arrests of protesters, including minors. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, claiming he had made too many concessions in the battle for Nagorno-Karabakh and had done little to help the ethnic Armenians living there.

On 19th September, thousands gathered in Yerevan to protest the government's handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. Clashes between the police and protesters ensued, as riot police intervened to stop demonstrators from storming the government building. According to the Armenian health ministry, as reported by the Guardian, a total of 36 people were injured in the clashes on the night between 19th and 20th September. On 20th September, the media reported that police began mass arrests of protesters who continued to gather in front of the main government building on Republic Square in the Armenian capital, warning them that their protest was illegal.

On 22nd September 2023, Radio Free Europe reported that police had made hundreds of arrests over the previous three days while clashing with protesters surrounding the main government building. They also reported that around 84 more people had been arrested while blocking streets in the city centre as part of a civil disobedience campaign that had begun the day before. Among those arrested while blocking roads were Andranik Tevanian, one of the leaders of the protests, and the son of former President Robert Kocharian, Levon. Levon Kocharian was reportedly seriously injured by police officers and taken to hospital, while Tevanian was released a few hours later. The Armenian Investigative Committee announced that the protesters could be charged with participating in “mass riots” and face heavy prison sentences.

According to the Interior Ministry, 140 more people were arrested on 25th September.

On 26th September, CivilNet reported that several students from the American University of Armenia were aggressively arrested by around 40 members of the special forces, the so-called “red berets,” as they peacefully protested on the university steps. According to one of the students, who wished to remain anonymous to CivilNet, the red berets detained six students and two bystanders after a security guard prevented a group of students from entering the university building while carrying a flag of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). Police detained the students for three hours before releasing them and allegedly gave them papers to sign stating that they had been arrested for blocking a nearby road and defying police orders to leave. The American University of Armenia issued a statement saying they were “deeply troubled” by the students’ arrest.

By October, some detainees remained in custody, with reports indicating that over 30 people were still under arrest, most of them students. According to media reports, the Armenian Investigative Committee accused 48 protesters of participating in "mass riots" and attacking police officers, while lawyers for the detainees argued that the arrests were politically motivated. On 9th October, the main opposition bloc, Hayastan, demanded the release of the detainees, accusing the authorities of suppressing protests against the government's handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh situation.

As mentioned in the previous update, the protests erupted in response to Azerbaijan’s military incursion into the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, a breakaway state with a majority Armenian population in a region that is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani offensive led to the expulsion of around 100,000 Armenians from the enclave and has been labelled as ethnic cleansing by the Armenian government, as well as in a European Parliament resolution.

Freedom of expression

Critic of local authorities claims attack amid mayoral elections

In October 2023, activist Artur Chakhoyan went live on Facebook, claiming he had just been attacked in his apartment building by unknown assailants. According to Chakhoyan, three men assaulted him, one armed with a knife. He managed to disarm the man, while the other two fled. Chakhoyan suggested the attack was retaliation for his criticism of ruling party officials involved in the local elections in Yerevan. The alleged attack took place a day before the City Council voted to appoint the ruling party’s candidate for mayor.

Though Chakhoyan did not explicitly state whom he blames for the attack, the video he posted on social media includes part of his conversation with one of the alleged attackers. In the footage, the activist asks the man if Tigran Avinian, the newly elected mayor, had sent him. The man repeatedly denies this, along with claims that he attacked Chakhoyan or was carrying a knife.

According to media reports, Avinian denied the allegations and stated that he was not informed of the details of the incident. The suspected attackers told investigators that they were neither involved in the attack nor were they armed.

OC Media quoted Nina Karapetyants of the Helsinki Association, a human rights group, who pointed out that there have been similar incidents in the past to intimidate critical voices. The investigation is ongoing, with the alleged attackers denying any involvement or possession of weapons, according to Chakhoyan's social media posts.