We are writing to express our concern about an incident that happened on 16 April 2012 in Vanadzor.

Within the framework of Stop Film Festival, the Caucasus Center of Peace Making Initiatives (CCPMI) planned to organize a screening of Azeri films in Vanadzor on April 17 in the office of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor (HCAV). The CCPMI requested HCAV to provide the space for screening and as a human rights organization respecting the freedom of expression, HCAV did not reject.

The festival was met with protest and violence in Gyumri, where it was to be held on April 12th, 2012. Although it did not take place in Gyumri, Georgi Vanyan, Director of the CCPMI, was determined to hold it in Vanadzor.

A total of 36 organizations, including non-governmental organizations, “Yerkrapah” Voluntary Union, and local representations of political parties signed a call to residents of the Lori Region urging them to come out and protest against the organizers and supporters of the festival on April 16, 2012, and to demand that the festival is cancelled, otherwise threatened to take actions on the day of the festival.

In the morning of the 16th, Georgi Vanyan released a statement about postponing the festival to prevent violence or any other actions by “pseudo-patriots”. However, at 11:00 a.m. a crowd of about 200 students, former soldiers, and representatives from different political parties gathered in Hayk Square and marched to the HCAV office. The crowd was led by members of “Yerkrapah” and other leaders of local representations of various political parties, who entered the office to negotiate with Artur Sakunts and to convince him to cancel the festival. The delegation which entered the office was about 15 people; however a large group of other protestors entered the office as well; they threatened to break the equipment and furniture and rudely insulted HCAV employees. One of the protestors tore a banner hanging on the wall, yelling that the banner was anti-Armenian (the Banner said “The Problems of Missing Soldiers of Karabakh War Vanadzor-Ganja.”). The delegation tried to calm their supporters down and asked them to leave but they did not obey.

Artur Sakunts informed the delegation that the festival was postponed. The delegation applauded and asked Sakunts to come out and announce it to the crowd. While the delegation was inside the crowd outside was chanting “Traitors, Shame, and Turks” and demanded to cancel the event. Artur Sakunts came out and told the crowd that Georgi Vanyan had postponed the festival, the crowd cheered, but as Artur Sakunts entered the office, the crowd started shouting that the festival should not be postponed, but should be cancelled completely. The crowd started throwing eggs and rocks. 2 rocks broke the windows and penetrated into the office. One of the rocks hit a staff member of HCAV in the leg.

During the entire period and these attacks 4 police officers were standing next to the crowd and did not take any action. Some officers were standing in the back of the crowd and were simply watching the attack happen. The organization telephoned the Vanadzor Police, (who arrived only after the crowd left). The delegation of protestors came back into the office and demanded that Artur Sakunts go back to the crowd and tell them that the festival would not take place. Sakunts insisted that he would release a statement about the violence and the event itself, but the delegation argued that they were unable to disperse the angry crowd, so Sakunts should speak to them. After a long argument, Sakunts came out and told the crowd that the festival would not take place.

The crowd would still not leave so the delegation decided to lead them back to Hayk Square. Only after the crowd left did the police arrive to examine the venue. The security cameras inside and outside the office video recorded the entire process and the recording was provided to the police.

In the light of this incident we would like to express that we are not against the right to hold demonstrations nor the freedom of the demonstrators to express their opinion, but we are very concerned about the refusal of the police to interfere when hostile activities happen against an organisation whose prime objective is to built a society that basic human rights are protected.

Sincerely,

The board of HCA-Vanadzor

Krist Marukyan
Agnieszka Kłosowska
Siegfried Wöber
Armen Sargsyan
Pascal Bokkers