On February 19, 2016 court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Shengavit administrative district, without his presence, depriving Vardges Gaspari an opportunity of being heard in court and protecting his rights, made an evidently illegal decision to detain him. It was the second case in the past two months when the court of the Republic of Armenia deprived the civic activist of freedom in the framework of an evident political put-up job.

Vartgez Gaspari is known to the public as a person having active, courageous and straightforward civic position, who unyieldingly and consistently speaks out, peacefully voices his sharp assessments and attitudes on various problems and illegalities of human rights in Armenia. Moreover, he does not display any selective approach regarding the choice whom he addresses his standpoints and demands and criticizes both government and opposition representatives.

In response to Vardges Gaspari’s outstanding unyielding position and sharp critical assessments state institutions, especially the police oppose targeted illegalities, prosecutions, violence, torture, and behavior humiliating his dignity, thus attempting to oppress his freedom of speech, and his constitutional right to freely express his opinion.

The current chain of trials began with the claims the police lodged against Vardges Gaspari to incur administrative liability. The activist refused to take part in trials given their fictitious nature, and the biased behavior of the judge, and fairly expressed his lack of confidence in the law enforcement system.

The action of Vardges Gaspari’s nonviolent struggle can in no way be persecuted by detention, and it is obvious that the decision to deprive him of freedom is illegal and is considered to be political motivated persecution for his views and position.

We, the below mentioned defenders of human rights demand that political prisoner Vardges Gaspari be immediately released and the political persecution be stopped.

Transparency International Anticorruption Center
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office
Journalists’ Club “Asparez”
Armenian Helsinki Committee
Open Society Foundations – Armenia
Journalists For Human Rights NGO
"Hope" NGO
"Dialogue for Peace" NGO
Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO
"Youth for Human Rights" NGO
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Armenian Center
"The Army in Reality" Civic Initiative