In recent months, there have been attempts to remove Arakad Tamazyan, the director of the “Living Country” organization in Alaverdi, through protests, intimidation, and defamation. This information was reported by several non-governmental organizations to NEWS.am.

The announcements also state that the director cannot claim disrespect with threats, and the involvement of Maria Pepanyan of the Yerevan Civil Contract has not followed proper procedure. Other members of the Avagnu group have also received threats.

As a result of violence, access to the meeting venue has been blocked. The opposition justifies this by claiming it’s for the security of Avagnu members. However, the authorities have also prevented residents from entering, which violates the law regarding public meetings.

During the meeting, opposition member Aren Mkrtchyan tried to prevent the election of the director of the “Living Country” initiative, which was decided upon during the meeting.

We believe that the meeting itself is illegal, therefore the decisions made at it cannot be considered legitimate. We condemn the individuals who are disrupting public order and acting against the law, as well as the violence against Avagnu members and residents by blocking the meeting.

Avagnu member Avetis Mkrtchyan, who is the director of the Avaverdu Medical Center in the Lori province, has been arrested for participating in their activities and protests. According to Avagnu coordinator Aren Mkrtchyan, this arrest is unjust.

We demand that the authorities conduct an immediate investigation into the actions of law enforcement agencies and ensure the safety of all participants in the electoral process and those affected by these actions.

The frequent and active arrests by the authorities are a violation of the peaceful and constructive nature of the electoral process, as well as the citizens’ interests and the development of democratic processes in other communities.

We urge the relevant authorities to review the legality of the actions of the law enforcement system and document the actions of those responsible for the daily and active arrests.

The local and international community should be aware of these violations and condemn the actions of certain individuals and the opposition, which obstruct the electoral process and hinder the implementation of democratic principles in other communities.