"On January 28, on Army Day, at about 1:45 pm, masked officers of the Special Forces of Police RA illegally arrested a public figure, the founder of the “VETO” social-political movement, Narek Malian, using violent force and handcuffs as a special remedy. Police later issued a statement according to which Narek Malian was arrested on suspicion of possessing or bearing illegal weapons.
Narek Malyan’s arrest was followed by the arrest of Konstantin Ter-Nakalyan, editor-in-chief of BlogNews.am website, a member of “Adekvad” social-political union, with the same methods. Nakalian was arrested on the way to the aforementioned police station to support Narek Malyan, on suspicion of possessing or bearing illegal weapons.
At 3:30 pm, on his way to support his arrested friends, Artur Danielyan, a social-political figure, the founder of “Adekvad” social-political union, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession a few meters away from the Police Station by stopping the car, using violent force and special means. Grigor Minasyan and Azat Adamyan were also arrested along with Artur Danielyan on the same suspicion.
The Chairman of “Civil Consciousness” Liberal NGO, founder of AntiFake.am website, Narek Samsonyan, was at the front of the General Department of Criminal Police, (Nalbandyan 130) nearly 6 hours (2-8 pm) appearing in the live streams of many media outlets.
Narek Samsonyan was attacked by masked Police Special Unit officers at the entrance of a multi-apartment building and was illegally arrested by them with violent force and handcuffs as a special remedy with at around 8:20 pm on his way to home after the release of early arrested figures. Police later reported that Samsonyan had been arrested on suspicion of possessing or bearing illegal weapons.
Since the arrest of Narek Malian until the arrest of Narek Samsonyan, 1:30-8:30 pm, the office of “Civil Consciousness” Liberal NGO, which also houses the AntiFake.am office, was under the covert surveillance by the police. Narek Samsonyan was also followed by the police officers all day.
Arresting Narek Samsonyan, who spent about six hours at the front of the police station illegally and by specified means, is nothing more than political persecution of the media founder and public figure.
On January 28, six people, arrested on fake and unsubstantiated allegations, are engaged in public activity, regularly criticize the current authorities, their policies in various fields, and reveal the illegalities of government officials, in particular, Prime-Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Two of the aforementioned individuals, Konstantin Ter-Nakalyan and Narek Samsonyan, are also media representatives.
Thus, it is indisputable that the authorities of Armenia, have adopted a policy of persecuting their political opponents by means of repressive methods using their leverage of power. Depriving public figures by the unlawful use of force, arresting them with handcuffs and detaining them on fabricated and unsubstantiated grounds is aimed at silencing their political opponents, restricting public activism and pluralism, and oppressing the free press.
We invite the attention of international human rights organs, foreign embassies, and organizations concerned with the protection of democratic values to the processes taking place in Armenia, cases of suppression of free speech and police offenses.
We believe that improper use of force, taking to the police station with absurd suspicions is an illegal and pure political act, which we consider obvious political persecution and have nothing to deal with the rule of law.
We call for attention to the Republic of Armenia and prevent authoritarianism building in Armenia and do not let the political opponents of the authorities be suppressed and repressed".
Armenian version of the announcement .