- 21.07.2016
- Posted by: elauser
- Category: statements

On 17.07.2016 the RA National Security Service (NSS) issued a statement informing the Armenian public that earlier on the same day an armed group had seized the premises of the Patrol Service Regiment of the RA Police and taken some police officers as hostages.
The armed group calling themselves “Sasna Tsrer” (the Daredevils of Sassoun) has put forward certain demands, including the resignation of the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, release of Zhirayr Sefilyan, leader of the political movement “New Armenia,” as well as a number of people who had appeared in prison months ago on fabricated charges and as a result of unfair trials. These included Shant Haroutyunyan and his friends, Gevorg Safaryan, Hayk Kyureghyan, etc.
The Armenian public was thus informed from that and subsequent NSS statements, as well as from the interviews given to various media by the members of “Sasna Tsrer” that both parties were in the process of negotiations. However, yesterday, on 20.07.2016 it becomes clear from the interviews given by the members of “Sasna Tsrer” that the negotiations have stalled and the authorities have stopped supplying food to the group.
On 20.07.2016 in the section of Khorenatsti street, where riot police has been deployed to ensure the siege of the group in the premises of the Patrol Service Regiment, people assembled demanding that the Police allowed them to take food to “Sasna Tsrer.” This demand was rejected by the Police, which caused clashes between the police forces and the protesters.
On 21.07.2016 Pavel Manoukyan and Varouzhan Avetisyan gave interviews to media and informed that they had not been provided food for two days now.
Taking into consideration the fact that other than the NSS similarly worded statements no further statement has been made by any competent public official on the continuation of negotiations, as well as the fact that the group is in in siege by police forces and the members of the group are deprived of the possibility to take care of their needs of food, water and medical treatment, we strongly condemn the authorities’ opting for forcing the group to surrender by means of starving them as an alternative to finding a peaceful solution to the existing problem by means of reasonable negotiations.
We remind that the discontinuation of the provision of water, food and medical aid applies equally to the 4 police officers in a situation where the authorities have no justification for this decision.
If the authorities regard the discontinuation of the provision of food, water and medical aid to the members of “Sasna Tsrer” as a tactics to force this group to surrender, subjecting the above police officers to the same treatment causes doubts as to the adequacy and professionalism of decision makers, as well as their sense of responsibility to the life and health of the people in these premises, including the police officers. As a result, any negative consequences of this decision will be put on the authorities.
We demand that “Sasna Tsrer” are immediately provided with adequate quantity of food, water, cigarettes and medical aid or if the authorities do not want to do that by themselves to allow other individuals/groups to take care of these needs.
At the same time, we call on the RA Human Rights Defender and the international organizations, including human rights organizations to take meaningful steps to obligate the authorities to resort to the solutions expressed in this statement.
Europe in Law Association NGO