Armenia: analysts criticize restriction on freedom of assembly

The authorities have acted inconsistently by reducing the permissible number of meeting participants amid the weakening of quarantine, the Yerevan Press Club and the Helsinki Assembly of Armenia have noted. The authorities have no reason to fear large-scale protests, political analysts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 20, a group of 17 supporters of Arthur Danielyan, the leader of the "AdequadD" movement, was detained in Yerevan after an action in his support. Activists have noted that they observed the social distance and wore medical masks, but were detained under the pretext of the ban to gather in groups of more than five people.

The decision of the authorities to reduce the permissible number of meeting participants from 20 to five is most likely due to the epidemiological situation, but in general it is inconsistent, Boris Navasardyan, the head of the Yerevan Press Club, believes.

"If now the risk of infection is higher, then it was no sense to allow the work of public transport ... They've put all the hope on wearing masks. But since many are not serious about security measures, they can wear one mask for several days," he has explained.

According to his story, the authorities "have a big problem with finding adequate measures."

Nina Karapetyants, the head of the Helsinki Assembly of Armenia, has noted that in some cases policemen detain activists, while in other cases they don't.

So far, there are no prerequisites for large-scale protests, since there is no political force that can bring people into streets, Grant Mikaelyan, a political analyst, believes.

As of May 22, the COVID-19 death toll in Armenia reached 74; and there were 5928 infection cases.