Last year, the number of policemen in the areas of peaceful assemblies was disproportionately large, says the report of the Armenian Helsinki Committee. Having observed 126 peaceful rallies conducted from June 30 of 2015 to June 30 of 2016 in Yerevan , Vanadzor, and Gyumri , the NGO qualified the  disproportionate number of police officers that was present at the areas of the assemblies as a violation of the "Law on Administrative Action and  Administrative Principles.”

According to the report, unnecessary detentions of the participants of the peaceful assemblies continued in the period examined. The aim of the detentions was to disrupt people’s participation in the assemblies. " The case on unlawful (unnecessary) actions of the police on June 23 of 2015 in the Baghramyan  Avenue during Electric Yerevan rally is still in the stage of preliminary examination.”

No police officer has been called to account for stopping candle lighting

assembly held in memory of the murdered Avetisyans family in Gyumri on January 15 of 2015 and for groundless detention of the  participants. According to the research, peaceful assemblies were attended by the police officers in plainclothes who , unlike previous years , did not use violence against the participants in the period examined, " says the report.

"There were no military insignias on the police officers’ uniforms when they performed their duties in the areas of peaceful assemblies. Moreover , there were often present police officers without uniforms . This might further complicate the identification process. "

The Helsinki Committee urges the police to refrain from using disproportionate force and violence , unnecessary and unjustified arrests.