Human Rights Defender Comments on the Detention of Manuel Manukyan and Artak Avetisyan

The representatives of the Human Rights Defender visited the Central and Mashtots police departments of Yerevan, held private conversations with those deprived of their freedom, Manuel Manukyan and Artak Avetisyan, and examined the documents prepared concerning them. Manuel Manukyan informed the Defender that he does not have a bone fracture, but feels severe pain in his injured hand.

This was stated in a release from the Defender's office: "As we have reported, in connection with the published information regarding the detention of Manuel Manukyan and Artak Avetisyan from in front of the Government building and the received alarm call, the rapid response teams of the Defender have gone to the relevant police departments. The representatives conducted visits to the Central and Mashtots police departments of Yerevan, held private conversations with the individuals deprived of their freedom, and examined the documents concerning them:

"Certain questions regarding the rights of those subjected to administrative detention were also discussed with the police representatives. It was revealed that Manuel Manukyan and Artak Avetisyan were detained for committing acts stipulated in Article 182 of the Administrative Offenses Code of Armenia. During the conversation, the individuals subjected to administrative detention reported that before their deprivation of freedom, no demands were voiced by the police officers, disproportionate physical force was used against them during their administrative detention, and the grounds and reasons for their administrative detention, as well as their rights and obligations, were not clarified to them.

"During the conversation, M. Manukyan noted that police officers twisted his hands and forcibly placed him in the police transport vehicle, causing him severe pain. From the analysis of videos available on the internet through mass media, it was also revealed that Manuel Manukyan informs police officers about his hand injury and requests not to pull his left hand.

Taking this into account, the representatives of the Defender requested that an emergency medical assistance team be summoned to the police department. Manuel Manukyan was examined at the Armenia Medical Center. Later, M. Manukyan informed the Defender's representatives that the examination revealed no bone fractures, but he still feels severe pain in his injured hand.

The results of the visits to the police departments are being summarized in the Defender's office, after which a relevant letter will be sent to the Police of Armenia demanding necessary clarifications," the statement reads.