Thursday, October 3 2019 14:12

ArmInfo.In Armenia, the situation in the field of peaceful rallies improved after the change of government. This is stated in the report of the anti-corruption  center Transparency International, presented on October 3 in Yerevan,  based on the results of a study of Civil Society Organizations (CSO)  in Armenia from 2017 to 2019.

According to the report, during the Velvet Revolution of 2018, as  well as in previous years, during peaceful rallies, facts of  violence, pressure and unlawful interference by the police were  recorded. In addition, during the indicated period there were  numerous cases of the protesters being brought to the police  stations, the use of police force and special means. Cases of  pressure from law enforcement agencies were especially pronounced in  the regions of the republic, however, as noted in the report, the  situation has improved over the past year.

The authors of the report note that the organizers of peaceful  rallies, without setting undue restrictions, can use various means of  communication, as well as other equipment.

It is also indicated that, despite the requirement prescribed by law  to inform the relevant authorities in advance about the holding of a  peaceful rallies, numerous peaceful actions are held in Armenia  without observing this requirement. As a rule, the security of these  rallies is ensured by the police, however, there are still recorded  cases of interference and violence by law enforcement officers.

In the period covered by the study, in some cases there was a  disproportionate presence of police at peaceful meetings, and the  illegal use of police force was recorded. Meanwhile, measures taken  to hold police officers accountable are rated as unsatisfactory.

In this regard, Transparency International calls for ensuring that  police officers fulfill their duties at the proper level, eliminate  the use of violence during peaceful gatherings, and ensure that the  appropriate police uniforms are worn.  In addition, the need for a  proper investigation of cases of violence by law enforcement  officers, as well as holding the perpetrators accountable, is  indicated.

The Transparency International study was conducted using the CSO  Meter methodology with EU funding.  The methods included analysis of  legal acts, studies and other documents and materials, as well as  focus group discussions and surveys with the participation of  representatives of civil society organizations.  A similar study was  conducted in other EU Eastern Partnership countries.