Rights defenders argue about need to ban rallies in Armenia

The ban on rallies is justified by residents' right to health, Arman Tatoyan, the Armenian Ombudsman, believes. In his turn, Avetik Ishkhanyan, a rights defender, is objecting by stating that restrictions make it harder for residents to convey their concerns to the authorities, objected human rights activist. Daniel Ionesyan, the coordinator of the Union of Informed Citizens, believes that the ban on mass events should be partial.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Armenia is ranked first among the countries of Southern Caucasus in terms of new COVID-19 cases. On July 30-31, a total of 684 new infection cases were registered in Southern Caucasus. Of these, 354 cases were revealed in Armenia. The country was also in the lead in the number of COVID-19 deaths.

Avetik Ishkhanyan, who is also the head of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, believes that when dispersing mass actions, law enforcers often show selectivity: "There were cases when the police detained protesters, even if they were less than five."

Authorities prefer restricting residents in their rights; it is much more difficult to draft the restrictions that would be in harmony with human freedoms, said Zara Ovannisyan, the coordinator of the Coalition "Against violence against women".

Daniel Ionesyan, the programme coordinator of the NGO "Union of Informed Citizens", disagreed with her. Restrictions on mass actions are justified, as they carry the risk of coronavirus spread, he asserts.

Some special place is needed for rallies, like the Hyde Park in London, where actions can be held by prior notification and with a limited number of participants, Boris Navasardyan, the head of the Yerevan Press Club, believes.