11:20, 6 June 2020

Armenian Ombudsman condemns police actions at detaining unmasked man

Policemen have detained a man without a medical mask in a street in Yerevan, which is mandatory under the coronavirus epidemic. Law enforcers acted excessively rudely, although the offender was ready to fulfil their demands, Arman Tatoyan, the Armenian Ombudsman, has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that because of coronavirus, since June 4, Armenian authorities forbade residents to leave their homes without medical masks.

On June 5, in Armenia, the number of deaths from coronavirus reached 183; a total of 11,817 people got infected.

A video of the above detention is posted on the Facebook. It shows four people in uniform laying a man on asphalt, trying to handcuff him, but he resists.

The pace of coronavirus spread in Armenia continues causing concern, Mane Gevorgyan, the press secretary of the Prime Minister, wrote in a social network. In such cases, she said, policemen have the right to act harshly.

In his turn, Arman Tatoyan, the Ombudsman, treats the policemen's actions as unlawful. "Law enforcers shouldn't resort to actions that encroach on human dignity," he has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 6, 2020 at 04:23 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Armine Martirosyan

Source: CK correspondent