The “A.D. Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Protection Centre” NGO strictly condemns the violence committed on April 30 of this year by Tigran Ter-Margaryan, the Head of the Nor Nork Administrative District of Yerevan, and other officials of his staff, against citizen Artur Chakhoyan, who had presented himself for a public discussion.
The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia declares that the Republic of Armenia is a sovereign, democratic, social, and legal state (Article 1). In a state characterized by such attributes, disagreements at any level of relationships cannot be resolved through the use of violence. Therefore, the use of violence by officials against a citizen—or the justification, encouragement, or disregard of such behavior—is a direct blow to the democratic values, social principles, and legal foundations of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the RA Law “On Public Service,” the head of an administrative district and the members of their staff are public servants. They are obliged to be guided by the principles of integrity in their activities, to demonstrate conduct befitting their office, and to maintain a polite attitude toward all persons with whom they interact while exercising their powers (Article 3, Part 1; Article 6, Part 5; Articles 23 and 25).
Pursuant to the laws of the Republic of Armenia and ratified international treaties, violence is a criminally punishable act. Any instance of violence, regardless of its form of expression, must receive a proper investigation and an adequate assessment by the competent authorities.
Thus, expressing our extreme concern regarding the reprehensible act committed on April 30 by the Head of the Nor Nork Administrative District of Yerevan and his staff members, and emphasizing the necessity of its disclosure and the prevention of its recurrence, we call upon the competent state and municipal authorities of the Republic of Armenia to:
- Initiate appropriate proceedings regarding the incident.
- Conduct a full, objective, and proper investigation of the case.