HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH CONDEMNED “OPPRESSIONS” IN ARMENIA

Human Rights Watch spread yesterday a statement censuring the Armenian authorities for oppressing the opposition and called the world community for assistance in stopping “the continuing oppressions”. The Armenian leadership is going on exercising the same abuses due to which the legality of last year’s elections is questioned”, director of the European Department of the organization Rachel Denber said. The statement also contains “a 21-page briefing” describing the detail “the mass arrests of the opposition activists and police’s violence”. This briefing was compiled by a Human Rights Watch representative, who visited Armenia last month on the purpose. The organization demands a thorough investigation of the government’s “abuses of power”, which took place during the opposition month’ rallies with a claim of the President’s resignation. The statement also says that the US, EU and other European organizations “should closely watch the situation in Armenia and condemn any new abuse”. “Armenia should consider the reasons, which incited the opposition to rallies”, Denber said. The first step on this path will become the fulfillment of the OSCE requirements made after the elections in 2003.