The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum strongly condemns the illegal actions of the Armenian authorities and demands the immediate cessation of all persecution of citizens of Armenia who are acting within the requirements of the Armenian Constitution and legislation, the Committee said in a statement.

“The act of aggression against peaceful protesters by the Armenian authorities shows a complete inability or unwillingness of the authorities to interact with the society, as well as to protect the rights of Armenian citizens. The pattern of brutal attacks on protesters contradicts all the commitments that the Armenian authorities have undertaken in the framework of its relations with the European Union,” the statement reads.

The Steering Committee demands the Armenian authorities to call all the organizers and implementers of these illegal acts to responsibility. The Steering Committee urges the European Union to treat the unacceptable behaviour of the Armenian authorities as a significant obstacle for effective dialogue on the cooperation between Armenia and the EU.