MEDIA STATEMENT - Armenia protests: Comment by the UN Human Rights Office

25 June 2015

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani

Location:        Geneva

Subject:        Armenia protests 

We are concerned at credible reports of excessive use of force by police officers, including against journalists, in their handling of protests in Yerevan on 23 June, and call on the authorities to investigate the incidents thoroughly and promptly. As protests continue to take place in the country, the Government must ensure that the policing of demonstrations strictly complies with international human rights norms and standards, including the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement.

We welcome the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, expressing the Government’s commitment “to democracy, fundamental freedoms and protection of human rights in Armenia”. We encourage the Government to ensure that this commitment is translated in the way it responds to these protests, and we encourage all parties to engage in a constructive dialogue and to refrain from violence.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org).

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