Human rights activists who engage in protests must be protected from political persecution, according to Arman Tatoyan, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia. Tatoyan shared on his Facebook page that a case has been launched against activist Ashot Simonyan for participating in a peaceful protest organized by the “Red Berets” group. In response, NGOs have announced that one activist’s power has been restricted due to an ongoing investigation into criminal activities. However, it remains unclear whether the arrested activists have been charged or simply detained for discussing a sensitive topic. Videos circulating on social media show the arrest of these activists during their participation in protests.

All their rights should be protected, and this includes a fair assessment of the verdict, a thorough investigation into the political motives behind the case, and prevention of biased judicial acts. It has been revealed that a political decision has been made to stop the persecution of a particular activist, which also halts the criminal prosecution of other activists. Consequently, the trial will be adjourned for several months.

This political exploitation of the judicial process demonstrates that the authorities see the “Red Berets” as a significant threat and rely on their political power. As a result, the activists are shifting their focus from working for the government to working against the political power. We will provide our international partners with detailed information about this case and request their attention and examination.