Armenian Ombudsman states police misconduct against Raffi Ovannisyan

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Armenia Karen Andreasyan has treated the police's ban to install a tent for Raffi Ovannisyan, Chairman of the "Heritage", who continues his hunger strike in Freedom Square in Yerevan, as a human rights violation.

The Ombudsman described the police actions as illegal. According to his opinion, setting up one tent cannot disturb public order.

In his turn, Arthur Osikyan, deputy head of the police, said at a press conference on March 23 that he could not agree with the Ombudsman's opinion and treated the actions of his subordinates as lawful and within the boundaries of the law.

Stepan Safaryan, a member of the Board of the opposition "Heritage" Party and leader of this party's faction in the parliament, has treated, in his interview with the "Caucasian Knot", the actions of the police in relation to the citizen, who is holding a hunger strike, as inhuman.

"The tent was to be installed last night; but this was not done, and Raffi Ovannisyan stayed up all the night under pouring rain. The police allowed only to put an umbrella, and only at night," said Safaryan.

Let us remind you that Raffi Ovannisyan, leader of the "Heritage" Party and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, is on his hunger strike in Freedom Square from March 15; among the demands he had put forward, are the following: the power should belong to the people; the people are the owners of their country; young people should have decent future; no to injustice, migration and corruption; and we must recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.

On March 22, at an open-air press conference, the leader of the "Heritage" Party stated his firm intention to continue his protest action as long as his health permits. He added that he is visited by doctors every day; they assert that currently he has no problems with heart and blood tension.

On March 21, Raffi Ovannisyan was visited by Armenian Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan, who thoroughly studied the conditions, in which the hunger-striker holds his action. The Ombudsman concluded that a tent should be installed and addressed the police saying that one tent in Freedom Square cannot affect the public order.