Freedom House issued a statement regarding the recent peaceful protest in Yerevan that was dispersed by police on June 23.

“Freedom House condemns the arrest of 237 peaceful protesters  by police,”  said Susan Corke, director of Eurasia programs.

“The thousands of Armenians who marched in Yerevan to protest widespread corruption were exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression. The images of hospitalized civilians, beaten journalists, and broken filming equipment show that these rights are being trampled. We call for a full and transparent investigation of these unprovoked incidents of police brutality and use of force against peaceful demonstrators.”