Int’l Community Reacts to Escalating Situation in Armenia
The European Union on Sunday called on Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition forces challenging him in the streets, to urgently resume negotiations on settling the deepening political crisis in Armenia.
Arrests and detentions of opposition leaders and demonstrators have already come into the spotlight of EU and US attention.
The Press-Secretary of EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini released a statement late on Sunday, which says that the Armenian authorities “must fully respect” citizens’ constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully and “apply the law in a fair and proportionate manner.”
Mogherini’s spokesperson Maja Kocijancic also demanded that,“All those who have been detained while exercising their fundamental right of assembly in accordance with the law must be released immediately.”
The EU official also called on Armenian opposition and other authorities to resume their failed dialogue, as the “immediate and peaceful resolution of the current situation is essential.”
Earlier the same day, the EU delegation to Armenia and EU member state embassies released a statement, stating, “The EU is concerned that today’s short meeting between Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan failed to prevent the further escalation of tensions. The European Union reiterates that it is crucial that all parties show restraint and responsibility and urgently seek a negotiated solution.”
The Embassy of the United States in Armenia is also concerned with the developments in Yerevan. In a statement, they said, “We urge the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and we urge those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions. We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against police or demonstrators to be held accountable under the law.”
The Embassy statement also says that “The US Embassy in Armenia strongly encourages police and protesters to adhere to peaceful, legal means for freedom of assembly as provided for by the Armenian constitution.”
Russian officials and representatives have not yet reacted to the recent developments, but five days ago, both Putin's spokesperson Pushkov and Russian Foreign Ministy's spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed their hope that everything would "happen according to the law and constitution of Armenia and in a peaceful manner."
Unlike the “Electric Yerevan” movement of 2016, the Russian media is not condemning the latest developments in Yerevan, nor dpes ot seek pro-western roots in the demonstrations as it is more than clear that the main agenda of the protests is internal and against the possible life-long rule of PM Serzh Sargsyan whose 10-year presidency and corrupted government has disappointed a considerable part of the Armenian society.
The situation in Armenia still remains extremely tense, as thousands of people protest in the center of Yerevan and troughout the country, for the 11th consecutive day demanding the resignation of the former president of the country Serzh Sargsyan, whom the National Assembly of Armenia elected as Prime Minister. According to the new constitution of Armenia, the PM's role makes him the most influential position in the country, while the President becomes "ceremonial," with nominal power.
After the failed negotiations between PM Serzh Sargsyan and opposition leader MP Nikol Pashinyan early in the morning on April 22, riot police used a special police operation in the afternoon to isolate Nikol Pashinyan and MPs Ararat Mirzoyan and Sasun Mikaelyan, and to detain more than 200 demonstrators from the march led by Pashinyan.
At this moment, nobody knows where the police forces have taken Pashinyan. Nor does his wife, Anna Hakobyan, the Chief Editor of one of Armenia’s most influential newspapers Armtimes.com, know the whereabouts of her husband.
Despite the detention of opposition leaders and hundreds of their supporters, the Armenian opposition is increasing its pressure on the government. The April 22 rally in Yerevan’s Republic Square was one of the biggest in Armenia since independence in 1991.
By Karen Tovmasyan in Armenia
Photo: A protest rally in Yerevan on April 19. Source: eurasianet.org/Joshua Kucera