Today, February 5, the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) organized a protest in front of the National Assembly building in Yerevan in support of Armenians imprisoned in Baku and political prisoners held in Armenia. Members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) were also present at the protest. Participants stated that more than 50 political prisoners are currently detained in Armenia, including four high-ranking clergy members and two elected mayors. The protest coincided with the visit to Armenia of Michael O’Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
Former Artsakh MP Metakse Hakobyan said that human rights in the region have been reduced to a bargaining tool, emphasizing that visits by international officials must be accompanied by concrete action rather than written reports.
Opposition MP Garnik Danielyan stated that the Republic of Armenia no longer guarantees freedom of speech.
Addressing the rally, Father Paren Arakelyan, spiritual pastor of Saghmosavank, said that while the Armenian Apostolic Church does not engage in politics, it cannot remain silent in the face of lawlessness. He noted that the imprisonment of individuals in both Armenia and Azerbaijan deprives society of their service and harms the Armenian nation as a whole.
RPA Vice Chairman Armen Ashotyan stated that European human rights institutions have become hollow and cynical, accusing European bodies, including the Council of Europe, of moral bankruptcy and silence in the face of violations of their own declared values.
The RPA, ARF, and participating other opposition groups called on Armenian authorities and international institutions to take immediate and concrete steps to secure the release of Armenians unlawfully detained in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
