The daily demonstrations organized by Armenia’s main opposition groups began in Yerevan in early May and lasted for nearly two months. They were marred by several clashes between riot police and opposition supporters.
The most serious clash broke out on June 3, with the police firing stun grenades and using force to stop thousands of demonstrators from approaching the Armenian parliament building. Several dozen protesters and policemen were injured in ensuing chaotic scenes. One protester suffered a severe head injury and underwent surgery.
Law-enforcement authorities arrested over a dozen opposition supporters during and after what they described as “mass disturbances.” They also pledged to investigate the use of stun grenades and other instances of police brutality alleged by the opposition.
Videos posted on social media showed several policemen punching protesters as the latter were dragged away and arrested by other officers. Similar incidents were caught on camera in May.
Although investigators formally recognized about 60 oppositionists as “victims” of violence they have still not brought relevant criminal charges against any police officers.
The Office of the Prosecutor-General and the Investigative Committee did not explain this fact on Wednesday. The committee promised to comment in writing later on.
By contrast, more than 50 participants of the opposition rallies have been charged with resisting or assaulting the riot police. Some of them remain under arrest.
Gegham Manukian, an opposition lawmaker who was also injured during the antigovernment protests, claimed that Pashinian personally ordered law-enforcement authorities not to prosecute any policemen. He said Pashinian wants to make sure that security forces continue to operate with impunity in warding off opposition challengers to his rule.
“The law-enforcement system follows not Armenia’s constitution or Criminal Code but a single person sitting in the government building,” Manukian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Vartan Harutiunian, a veteran human rights activists, likewise said that the current Armenian authorities have a vested interested in police impunity. This was also the case under the country’s former leadership, Harutiunian said, adding that the situation has not changed since the 2018 “velvet revolution.”