Statement on the events of June 12, 2024

We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations are deeply concerned about the clashes between protesters and the police on Baghramyan Avenue on June 12, 2024, as a result of which around 100 people received bodily injuries.

After a thorough analysis of the rhetoric, actions, speeches and appeals of the organizers of the protests in the period before the clashes, as well as the video recordings of the clashes and other available objective information, we, the undersigned non-governmental organizations, hereby state that:

1. The police, while generally performing their legal functions, did not demonstrate proper professional skills in a number of instances. In particular, they did not form a live barrier or chain for the protection of the National Assembly building in the Lovers’ Park section, which allowed some of the protesters to enter the park and break the police protection, which was followed by the use of special means by the police. To avoid such a scenario, the police could have strengthened passive protection in the Lovers’ Park section (including by using barbed wire).
2. In the current situation, the use of the first three stun grenades in the Lovers’ Park and several stun grenades on Demirchyan Street were justified and necessary, which led to a dramatic decrease in the aggressive behavior of the protesters. After that, individual aggressive protesters could have been isolated without the use of special means of wide coverage, while the police continued to use stun grenades.
3. The other 20 grenades were mostly used against citizens who were retreating, running away and providing support to the wounded. Cases were recorded where the stun grenade was used against citizens who were wounded and fell to the ground and those who came to their aid.
4. The stun grenades were used in violation of the Order 90-N of 2012 of the RA Minister of Health. Namely, the requirement of a minimum distance of 2.5 meters from people was not observed, as a result of which protesters received bodily injuries. Consequently, in the case of such a density of protesters, the choice of a fragmentation stun grenade as a special means contained serious risks for the health and life of the participants of the gathering.
5. The citizen who received a significant injury to the wrist received it as a result of picking up the (yet unexploded) grenade lying under their feet for an unknown purpose. Regardless of the citizen’s intention, this situation would not have arisen if the police had followed the procedure described in the previous paragraph.
6. There were cases when the police used disproportionate physical force against protesters, including violence and intimidation, including against protesters in police cars who did not show any resistance. In those instances, individual police officers overstepped their authority.
7. For approximately 3 months, leaders of the “Tavush for the Motherland” movement and other representatives of the parliamentary opposition used rhetoric that incited extreme and violent actions.
8. Not long after the clashes, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave an assessment to what happened, considering the actions of the police lawful, proportionate and professional. Such a biased stance can obviously hinder an impartial, full, comprehensive and thorough examination of the aforementioned cases and events.
9. Forty internal proceedings have been initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in connection with the actions of police officers. However, there is no information about whether the instances of the use of disproportionate police force against protesters and physical injuries to citizens are being investigated. Giving a legal assessment to the actions of both parties is crucial to ensure the rule of law and to avoid possible political speculation.

To sum up, we should note that the police did not take all the appropriate steps to avoid clashes with protesters, and after the clashes, the police went beyond the limit of proportionality and restrictions on the use of stun grenades, resulting in the violation of fundamental rights of dozens of people.

Based on the above,

1. We demand from the authorities of the Republic of Armenia to carry out a full and transparent investigation of the cases, in particular, to investigate and give a legal assessment to the actions of police officers and protesters, provide a justification of the choice of special means used by the police, justification of the number of special means used, the cases of physical force against detained non-resisting protesters and other violations.
2. We call on the representatives of the ruling party of Armenia and Prime Minister Pashinyan not to give a legal assessment to the actions of the police against the opposition protesters, thereby obstructing the objective and comprehensive investigation of the actions of the protesters and the police.
3. We demand from the RA authorities to implement police and judicial reform that will increase the effectiveness of police interventions during mass events, minimize possible damage and create an opportunity to conduct objective investigations in the law enforcement system, regardless of the political expediency and wishes of the government.
4. We condemn the violation of the principle of proportionality by the police in their response to the attack by protesters. We also condemn the extreme and aggressive rhetoric and incitement of clashes by leaders of the protests and protesters’ departure from the format of a peaceful assembly.
5. We call on all political parties and movements to exercise responsibility in their rhetoric and actions, ruling out hate speech and calls for violence that incite public unrest and clashes with law enforcement authorities.

Union of Informed Citizens NGO
Journalists’ Club ʺAsparezʺ

Direct Democracy NGO

Europe in Law Association NGO

Peace Dialogue NGO

Restart Foundation for Science and Education

Armenian Progressive Youth NGO