Ombudsman representatives meet with those detained following the Yerevan incident

On March 30, at the direction of Human Rights Defender Anush Manasyan, representatives of the office visited the Interior Ministry’s detention facility to meet with individuals detained following the incident of March 29 at Saint Anna Church in Yerevan.

The ombudsman’s representatives held individual conversations with the detainees and reviewed the documents drawn up in relation to them. The findings will be compiled, and within the scope of the Human Rights Defender’s authority, the necessary measures will be taken to guarantee the rights of those individuals.

The Human Rights Defender notes that everyone has the right to freely express their opinion, including criticism of the authorities’ actions. At the same time, the exercise of any right must not be accompanied by violence against other persons, including public officials, by incitement to violence, by hate speech, or by similar conduct.

The ombudsman considers it important that all circumstances of the incident be examined in an independent, thorough, and impartial manner. At the same time, Manasyan is calling on the competent authorities to uphold the rule of law in all their actions, to refrain from disproportionate use of force, and to ensure the proper exercise and protection of all citizens’ rights. In this context, the ombudsman will continue to monitor the situation in order to guarantee citizens’ rights.