ArmInfo. The police detained members of the Combat Brotherhood organization in flagrant violation of their universal rights, reads a statement by the ex- Ombudsman of Armenia, head of the Tatoyan Foundation, Arman Tatoyan.
The human rights activist said that on March 24, his team received many signals that the police were detaining members of the Combat Brotherhood organization on suspicion of "illegal possession of weapons and ammunition."
"According to signals, about a week before this police operation, the organization sent a notification to the competent authorities of Armenia about its intention to visit Voskepar. From March 22, members of the organization began to receive calls from the police and "invite for a conversation." The majority did not go, stating that the invitations were illegal.
According to the alerts sent to us, on March 23, members of the group received warnings from the police that none of the members of the "Combat Brotherhood" would reach Voskepar if they decided to make a visit.
Moreover, the police threatened them that if they decided to make a visit, they would all be detained on charges of illegally carrying weapons. And taking into account the fact that the "Combat Brotherhood" conducts combat training, they will easily be able to form the opinion in society that they carry illegal weapons and ammunition. In this sense, they will not have public support," Tatoyan said.
According to him, information was also received that none of the members of the "Combat Brotherhood" sent to Voskepar had any weapons with them, taking into account the police threats of arrest and the threat of forming a false public opinion.
The human rights activist also added that according to the reports received, the "Combat Brotherhood" has had the appropriate permission and a signed memorandum with the municipality of Noyemberyan for more than a year to conduct training, and there are appropriate permissions for all the weapons they use.
"On March 24, at the agreed departure point for members of the organization in Voskepar, on Abovyan Street, 60 in Yerevan, police representatives were already waiting for them, who detained all the participants there.
Those members of the organization who participated in the war and/or in the past in military operations and are recognizable in society were detained in their home or when leaving them. More than 40 members were arrested either in Yerevan or Voskepar. The last police representatives in Voskepar reported that their presence there was inappropriate.
It also became known that the police used disproportionate force when detaining people in violation of the law. In addition, according to reports, the homes of some of the detainees were searched without a proper court order to carry out such actions. The detainees were not given the opportunity to call or be notified.
Ensuring all these rights is an important international requirement. Their violation will not be tolerated, and they are intended to protect them from wrongful imprisonment or wrongful prosecution," Tatoyan said, adding that this message was released after checking the facts from several sources.
Yesterday, against the backdrop of reports about the detention of members of this organization, which was heading to Tavush to organize the defense of the village, if the RA authorities decide to surrender this Armenian village, information appeared in the Azerbaijani segment of the media that in response to the readiness to surrender 4 Tavush villages, Azerbaijan opened 18 criminal cases against Armenians.
According to the head of the press service of the military prosecutor's office of Azerbaijan, 18 people were put on the wanted list for their alleged involvement in "crimes against peace and humanity" during a hastily fabricated "genocide episode" in the village of Baganis-Ayrim.