Thomasyan Appeals to Embassies of Russia, EU, and USA Regarding Police Actions

The chair of the Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of Armenia, Taguhi Thomasyan, on June 3, addressed a letter to the Prosecutor General of Armenia, as well as the ambassadors of the USA, EU, and Russia in Armenia, as well as international organizations regarding the use of special measures by the police against participants of a peaceful protest in Yerevan.

Thomasyan announced this on her Facebook page. She drew attention to the Prosecutor General and international circles regarding reports that special measures were used without warning. Moreover, according to opposition figures, the expiration date of the special measures used by the police forces had passed, as no specific "Sviril" type sound and light grenades had been procured since 2017. The shelf life of these grenades is only four years.

“According to experts and eyewitnesses, the severity of the fragmentary injuries sustained by citizens and police officers is caused by the expired ammunition,” Thomasyan wrote. The letter addressed to the Prosecutor General concerned the legality of the decision on the necessity of using special measures, as well as issues related to their expiration.

In an urgent letter to international partners, she requested a public comment on the unacceptable actions of the police against citizens raising their voices in protest. Thomasyan noted that public statements from reputable international organizations could influence the prevention of such unacceptable actions by the police.