Police Carry Forbidden Additional Equipment, Says Tovmasyan

Officers of the Armenian Police Forces are carrying additional equipment, much of which is prohibited and inadmissible during peaceful gatherings and protests. This information was reported by AntiFake.am, with comments from the Chair of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs, Taguhi Tovmasyan.

According to the article published by AntiFake.am, it is noted that among the police officers, 7.62 mm automatic rifles have been observed, which are accounted for within the police forces, as well as a grenade launcher whose fired projectile has a powerful flash-bang effect. Additionally, this grenade launcher is used with the "VOG-25" combat grenade, which is not accounted for in the police's inventory.

There is a 40 mm flash-bang projectile named "Sviril" in the special means inventory of the police forces, whose expiration date has passed in 2021. The use of expired grenades is extremely harmful both for the user and for the crowd against which they are used.

Recently, and also last year, electronic detonating grenades of the "Plamya-M" type have been installed in the yard of the National Assembly building, which are also prohibited for use against gatherings that include individuals under the age of 18. Of course, their use in mass rallies and marches, where there are considerable numbers of minors and pregnant women, can have irreversible consequences.

According to Article 31 of the Law on Police of the Republic of Armenia, it is prohibited to include such types of special means in the police's arsenal that, according to their tactical-technical characteristics, can cause serious harm to human health or lead to irreversible changes in the human body, or result in death, or are a source of unjustified risk.

In light of the above, I have sent a letter to the Prosecutor General of Armenia, requesting an instruction for the competent authorities to investigate the information regarding the carrying and potential use of forbidden special means by police officers and to take appropriate action. I also requested information regarding the results of the investigation and resolution of this matter.