As at 3.00 pm on April 17, 2018, according to the information received through the Joint Hotline of Human Rights Defenders, citizens (protesters carrying out a protest action) were detained in different parts of Yerevan and taken to different police stations without any grounds. Some of these citizens were unlawfully held there for longer than the established timeframe of 3 hours.

Two of the detainees have been at Mashtots Police Division since 09.30 am. As at 2.20 pm, no investigative or judicial proceedings were carried out with them. 33 protesters have been held at Arabkir Police Division for nearly five hours. 14 citizens, including David Petrosyan, the coordinator of the initiative “YSU Restart”, are at Nor Nork Police Division. No investigative or judicial proceedings were carried out with these persons either.

According to the information provided by those detained and taken to Erebouni Police Division, from 8.00 am to the moment of releasing the statement, 9 persons are at the division. These persons were forced to sign a document, according to which they were supposed to be released as at 11.00 am.

One of the detainees, V. H., was subjected to violence in the police car and turned to Erebouni Medical Center. Throughout the aforementioned activities, the work of advocates (in particular, their entrance to police divisions and the provision of legal assistance to the detained persons) was obstructed. Information was received, according to which protesters were subjected to violence by police officers, including the red berets, in different parts of the city.

We hereby condemn the grave violation of the peaceful protesters’ right to freedom and inviolability as well as the right to freedom of assembly and demand to immediately cease the peaceful protesters’ persecution and release the protesters deprived of freedom.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor
Armenian Helsinki Committee
Journalists Club “Asparez”
Transparency International Anticorruption Center
Union of Informed Citizens NGO
Helsinki Association
Open Society Foundations-Armenia
Zaruhi Hovhannisyan, human rights defender
New Generation Humanitarian NGO
Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional Cooperation
Foundation Against the Violation of Law NGO
Kristina Gevorkyan, advocate
Real World, Real People NGO
Pink Armenia
Vanadzor Civil Youth Center
Injevan Civil Youth Center
Ani Aghagulyan, human rights defender, YSU PHD
CPI Armenian Center
Women’s Resources Center NGO
“Agate” Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities NGO
Shirak Center NGO
Hrazdan Civil Youth Center
Women’s Support Center NGO
Women’s Rights Center NGO
Spiritual Armenia NGO
Human Rights House Yerevan
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
Association of Young Journalists NGO
Yerevan Press Club
Narine Galstyan
Public Journalism Club
For Equal Rights
Journalists For The Future
Tatevik NGO
Media Initiatives Center
Gyumri Civil Youth Center
Ejmiatsin Branch of the Association of Women with University Education
“Free Citizen” Civic Initiatives Support Center NGO