‘What Happened in Alaverdi is a Power Grab’ - Arman Tatoyan

The former Human Rights Defender of Armenia and the director of the Tatoyan Foundation, Arman Tatoyan, sounds the alarm. “What happened today in the Alaverdi community is a power grab through illegal seizure of the representative body – the council and the community leader position – directly elected by the citizens. This was a blatant violation of the political rights of the people who formed the authority in their community, as well as local self-governance. This is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia as an essential foundation of democracy and forms an inseparable part of the constitutional order.

This violation of the constitutional order and the fundamental rights of citizens took place directly under the immediate intervention and guidance of the central political power in Armenia. From start to finish, a member of the parliamentary ruling faction participated in the activities of the Alaverdi City Hall, including in the voting and meeting location, allowing actions that do not stem from his authority (abuse of power). With his criminal behavior, he openly demonstrated that he was a representative of the central authorities and enjoyed the protection of the police.

The MP from the ruling parliamentary faction constantly displayed his (actually illusory) advantage in a contemptuous manner towards the Alaverdi community leader, council members, and the public present at the voting site, frequently employing humiliating expressions including insults. Moreover, such behavior by the MP was confirmed by open disrespect towards citizens gathered outside the city hall after the meeting, as well as by the overt display of close relationships with police officers and members of the ruling party's council.

Additionally, he was present both before the meeting and throughout the meeting and the voting, thereby violating the requirement for the secrecy of the ballot as mandated by law. It is highly condemnable that police were brought to the city hall against citizens who had formed power in Alaverdi through their direct vote and were exercising their constitutional rights by gathering near the city hall.

It was also evident that the police were acting on the “invitation” of the central political authority. This was evident from how they protected the law-violating actions of the aforementioned MP. For example, they were rude and intolerant towards council members who were not part of the political power. Even after the meeting ended, the police were so preoccupied with “taking care” of the council members affiliated with the political power that they obstructed the professional activities of journalists, preventing them from “disturbing” the council members and the MP with questions.

All of this was done by the police under the pretext of ensuring security on-site, but in reality, they were engaged in openly protecting the illegal actions of the central political power. During a session called on the issue of expressing no confidence in the community leader, the current head of the community and council members have the right to participate and conduct the meeting. These are political rights guaranteed by law, which the police have no authority to restrict, especially when occurring under the orders of the political power.

All of this demonstrates the violation of the autonomy of local self-governance by the central political power, as well as the establishment of complete control over that system.

Earlier, it was reported that the Alaverdi community council had expressed no confidence in Arkadi Tamazyan. The head of the community was elected as Davit Ghumashyan, the leader of the council’s “PPG” faction. This morning, a tense situation had arisen at the Alaverdi council meeting, where the project to express no confidence in community leader Arkadi Tamazyan was being discussed.