Kidnapping, Beatings and Protests

Several hundred people staged a protest in front of the government building Yerevan on February 9, demanding that those who attacked civic activist Artak Khachatryan be identified by law enforcement bodies and brought to justice. Protesters held signs, which read: "We are all Artak," and said that if the police are unable to solve the crime, then they will. A number of civil society organizations and representatives of political parties took part in the demonstration.

On February 7, masked men kidnapped and then brutally attacked Artak Khachatryan, one of the members of the civic initiative seeking to revoke a new turnover tax law that was to go into effect on February 1. Several large demonstrations had taken place over the past few months by small and medium sized business owners demanding that the government call back a new law that would require inordinate amount of official filing, ultimately impacting their already struggling businesses.

Artak Khachatryan was very active and vocal during those protests. After beating him, the unknown assailants dropped him off near his home; Khachatryan was unconscious when he was discovered. Khachatryan, who sustained several serious injuries is currently in hospital in the intensive care unit. He underwent surgery and his condition although stable, remains critical.

Artak Khachatryan is also a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party. An investigation has been launched by police.

The Prosperous Armenia party issued a statement regarding the attack on Artak Khachatryan:

“We consider this to be an impudent and cynical challenge to society by political powers. At the same time, the full responsibility of the incident rests on the political authorities. We hold the country’s authorities responsible for this anarchy and gangster-like atmosphere.

“We immediately demand that law enforcement bodies, in as short a time as possible, disclose the guilty party in this incident and all other attacks on political leaders and activists.”

In recent months, there has been an alarming trend of beatings and attacks against opposition politicians and activists. None of the cases, with the exception of the attack against ANC politician Aram Manukyan, have been solved by Armenia’s law enforcement bodies.