Activist: Armenian authorities are using the police to enforce  dictatorship

ArmInfo.During a press conference on November 2, public administration specialist and economist Hovhannes Avetisyan stated that the police are in the hands of people who deceived the public in the past. Avetisyan was   detained by law enforcement officers on October 31 along with a group of young people suspected of illegal possession of weapons. All 9 detained citizens were later released.

In his address to the police, the US Embassy and the youth of the  country, Avetisyan noted that the current Armenian authorities are  using law enforcement agencies not to ensure security, protect the  rights and freedoms of citizens, or safeguard their lives and  property rights, but to pursue their own interests and establish a  dictatorship. This is evident through the actions of the police  against the sensible citizens of the country. Specifically, over the  course of several days, 9 people were detained on suspicion of  possessing weapons and ammunition, yet none of them were found to  have them, even after searches of their apartments. "These actions  are simply a political orders from above, intended to intimidate and  terrorize sensible citizens who express their disagreement with the  current domestic and foreign policies being implemented," Avetisyan  noted.

He also addressed the US Ambassador to Armenia Christina Quinn,  noting that the detention of 9 young people was carried out by police  officers who receive financial, technical and moral-psychological  assistance from Washington. However, as Avetisyan pointed out, the  efforts and resources of the US government are clearly being wasted,  as they do not serve the interests of establishing a democratic  system of government. Moreover, the current authorities are using the  resources attracted from the US to establish an authoritarian system  of government.  In his address to the youth, Avetisyan called on them  to be guided by their right to free expression of will and to protect  their rights.