Disproportionate Force Used, Several Detainments of Clearly Underage Individuals: Human Rights Defender

The rapid response teams of the Human Rights Defender's office visited six police stations in Yerevan today, providing consultation and support for the exercise of rights to more than 69 individuals. Assistance was also provided at the police station in Martuni, Gegharkunik province, to three individuals, and at the police station in Sevan, also to three individuals, as reported by the Human Rights Defender's office.

The visits resulted in several recorded violations, specifically:

1. There were documented cases of photographing individuals with electronic devices without their consent, as well as an incident where police officers in civilian clothing photographed individuals entering the police station with a mobile phone, without any distinction, including minors. One citizen reported that when asking whether it was possible to refuse to be photographed, the police officer responded negatively. The Defender emphasized that such photographing by police officers for personal use is unacceptable, reiterating in the 2021 annual report that, according to the RA Law on Police, video recording, photographing, and sound recording should only be conducted using official (not personal) technical means and only in public places. Photographing individuals brought to police stations with personal mobile phones is prohibited.
2. Again today, there were recorded cases of detaining individuals after complying with a police officer's request, particularly on the Vagharchyan-Kochar streets of Yerevan, where individuals were detained although they had already cleared the roadway. Hence, the administrative arrest based on failure to comply with an officer's legal demand is inherently illegal in such cases.
3. It is regrettable to note that despite numerous statements made in previous days, police officers have detained a clearly underage individual in the area of Abovyan-Koryun streets in Yerevan, as shown in videos circulated by media, and that this was done with disproportionate use of force.
4. Today's monitoring resulted in more severe instances of force being used during detentions in the area from the Victory Bridge towards the Hrazdan Sports Complex and on Myasnikyan Street in Yerevan. At the outset, claims made during the monitoring and by those detained indicate that no demands were communicated by the police officers beforehand, whereas the basis for their detention was again the failure to meet a legal demand by the officer. Moreover, incidents were recorded where citizens were dragged to police vehicles, hands were unnecessarily twisted, and other forms of disproportionate force were used during detentions. Additionally, discussions with the detainees revealed that they had various types of bodily injuries, which they claimed were inflicted by police using force. An ambulance was called to provide medical assistance at the central police station. The Defender informs that he will send appropriate notifications to law enforcement agencies regarding the recorded injuries, the received information, and the photos taken, requesting a detailed investigation into the matter and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
5. Numerous instances were reported where citizens were not acted upon for about 1.5 hours after their actual detention. In another case, after the citizen presented themselves, police officers informed them of their rights, including the right to remain silent, only after conducting procedural actions. The Defender notes that informing individuals of their rights is not an end in itself, and it should be done beforehand, before conducting any other procedural actions, to ensure the practical exercise of those rights, including the right to remain silent. Such behavior, especially towards minors, is particularly reprehensible.
6. Detainees raised claims regarding the loss or alleged theft of cash and mobile phones during their detentions, which the Defender will address to the relevant state bodies for verification and proper handling of the recorded incidents.
7. Monitoring by the Defender's office of media publications has also recorded incidents involving detained citizens and police officers in police vehicles, where both sides exchanged indecent remarks and there were occurrences of physical scuffles. In this regard, the Defender reminds again that police officers are restricted by their official status and must especially refrain from any manifestations of ill-treatment towards individuals in their custody. At the same time, the Defender condemns all instances of detainees insulting, swearing, or making degrading remarks towards police officers. Instances of damage to police vehicles by participants of gatherings have also been recorded.
8. Monitoring of media and social networks has observed extreme manifestations of hate speech directed at both police officers and citizens. It is particularly condemnable to publicly express hate speech against someone based on their differing opinion or expressed stance, which is immediately followed by the use of violence, with participants throwing bottles and other objects at the individual who became the target of hate speech. An examination of similar incidents in recent days indicates that it can have a preventive impact when public condemnation of such actions against dissenters is expressed by organizers of gatherings and public figures.