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Kantoor HCA Armenie in brand gestoken
Falkor - 16.03.2003 12:37
Na veel gewelddadige pogingen de activisten van HCA Armenie te weerhouden van hun activiteiten werd op vrijdag 14 maart hun kantoor in brand gestoken.
Kantoor van mensenrechtenactivisten in Armenie in brand gestoken tijdens verkiezingen.
We kregen een noodoproep van de "Helsinki Citizens'Assembly in Armenie. Zij worden, omdat ze actief zijn in de protesten tegen de uitkomsten van de recente president-verkiezing, onderdrukt en het werken onmogelijk gemaakt.
Na veel gewelddadige pogingen de activisten te weerhouden van hun activiteiten werd op vrijdag 14 maart hun kantoor in brand gestoken.
De in dubieuze omstandigheden herkozen president Kocharian dwong mensen voor hem te demonstreren en liet demonstranten van de oppositie arresteren. Openbare bijeenkomsten van opposanten werden verboden.
Het hoofd van de HCA, Arthur Sakunts, is gearresteerd.
Hieronder de brief uit Armenie
voor nieuws uit Armenie:  http://www.a1plus.am and http://www.internews.am
en www.falkor.org
contactpersoon Nederland:  info@falkor.org
OUR OFFICE WAS SET ON FIRE.
In the early morning of Friday, 14th of March 2003, the premises of the
"Helsinki Citizens' Assembly - Vanadzor office (HCAV)" were set on fire in an act
of political terrorism and oppression against an organisation that has been
among the active protestors about the results of the recent presidential
elections in Armenia. The vandals broke a window of the front door and destroyed
the main part of the office with firebombs, representing the peak of a series
of violent actions to force our office refrain from its activities around
the elections and our intention to organize protest meetings.
HCAV is part of the "Helsinki Citizens' Assembly" network in the South
Caucasus and has engaged in sensitive issues such as a joint project with hCa in
Azerbaijan and human rights protection of their fellow citizens in Vanadzor
and the northern region (Lori) of Armenia. During the presidential elections,
our NGO participated with an observing mission of about 35 persons, whereas in
the forefront of its activities, one member had to resign from his job and
another was set under pressure by local police - for their involvement in the
monitoring action. HCAV could observe a number of violations during the two
rounds of elections (bribing, unequal press coverage, suppression of
opposition candidates and supporters, pressurizing of electoral commission
representatives, falsification of votes etc.) and was planning to organize a meeting on
it on the 15th of March in Vanadzor. After we had been informed that the
mayor of the city did not "allow" this meeting - thereby violating articles 26
and 33 of the Constitution of Armenia - and we still did not cancel the event,
a window of our office in the center of Vanadzor was broken by force and
activists set further under pressure by local authorities to not participate in
protests.
Today's stroke has to be seen as a final attempt of certain circles to
pressurize HCAV and to set an example for all protestors that want to express
their widespread discontent about the elections and are refusing to recognize the
results that would make Robert Kocharian president of Armenia for a second
term. Although the OSCE and the CoE have expressed their dissatisfaction about
the conduct of the elections, the international community should not delay
putting political pressure on responsible authorities to guarantee a real
democratic outcome of the elections. Protestors and lead organizations such as
HCAV should be guaranteed our very right for freedom of expression and any acts
of oppression or violence against that have to be stopped immediately.
We ask you to closely follow the situation in Armenia and its regions
especially, urging local state authorities and international organisations to stand
up for the above, and make sure that acts of aggression such as against us
do not occur any further. We count on the support and solidarity of our
colleagues and friends in Europe in those hard times and want to re-confirm that we
will have the public meeting about the elections on Monday, 17th of March
2003, in Vanadzor.
The activists of the "Helsinki Citizens' Assembly - Vanadzor office"
Siegfried Woeber (hCa - Caucasus, Interchurch Peace Council IKV)
14th of March 2003
CALL FOR SOLIDARITY
HCAV
c/o Dr. Arthur Sakunts
59 Tigran Metsi str.
Vanadzor, 377200
Republic of Armenia
Tel. (374 51) 4 22 68
E-mail: hcav@hcav.am
www.hcav.am
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