EU urges Armenia to stop human rights violations
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
The European Union has issued a statement on the recent human rights violations in Armenia, urging the country to take immediate preventive measures to cope with the challenge.
The EU Delegation to Armenia called on the Armenian authorities to take urgent and decisive steps to hold liable those people, who used violence against civil activists and oppositional political figures.
Late November and early December were tragic days for the activists and opposition members in Armenia. Firstly, cars of four oppositional figures were set on fire and then the war veterans came under attacks. Finally the prominent opposition figure, Aram Manukyan, was beaten brutally by unknown men in front of his house. All attacks were reportedly carried out with a similar motive - political pressure on people, who have critical views of the authorities.
The EU expressed its deep concern over the harsh infringement of civil liberties in Armenia, particularly focusing on the attacks on the persons belonging to civil movements and opposition block.
"The European Union calls for respect for democratic principles, rights and fundamental freedoms noting that these elements are significant parts of bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia, as it was agreed in a joint statement in Vilnius, in November, 2013," the statement said.
Human rights violations in Armenia are gaining momentum amid the deepening confrontation between the ruling and opposition forces, as well as surging public disillusionment with the government's policy. Mutual accusations of the two sides pave the way for a political crisis in the post Soviet country, which is repeatedly criticized by the international human rights organizations, including the Transparency International, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch etc. for its bad human rights record.
Active engagement of the civil activists and opposition figures in the anti-government movements made the authorities to raise their eyebrows, which has resulted in clandestine events in the country, causing a great resonance.
While assessing the ongoing political repression in Armenia, the local media even didn't refrain from calling it a "manhunt" against people by the government.