Ten human rights organizations have issued a joint statement condemning what they described as the unnecessary and disproportionate use of force by masked and armed officers of Armenia's National Security Service against Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, saying he was forced to the ground despite offering no resistance.
The organizations also called for an independent investigation into the case, free from political influence and ensuring the rights of all parties involved.
According to the statement, the Investigative Committee's publication of the arrest video, considering its content, format and manner of dissemination, suggests that the action went beyond the legitimate purpose of informing the public and instead appeared intended to publicly humiliate and demonstratively punish Tsarukyan.
The groups further argued that public statements made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the election campaign should be considered when assessing the incident, saying the contested actions should not be viewed in isolation but in the broader context of public messages issued at the highest level of state authority.
The statement notes that Armenia's Constitution recognizes the individual as the highest value and absolutely prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It also cites the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, under which any use of force by law enforcement that is not strictly required by a person's conduct violates human dignity and the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.
The organizations stressed that law enforcement officers may use physical force only in cases provided by law and that such force must be lawful, proportionate, appropriate and necessary to achieve a legitimate objective.
The statement also refers to the seizure of wild animals belonging to Tsarukyan and their transfer to Yerevan Zoo as part of a criminal case opened several years ago. It argues that the lack of sufficient justification regarding the necessity, proportionality and actual purpose of that intervention raises doubts that it was motivated solely by legitimate criminal justice objectives. The groups also said the death of one of the sedated lions during transportation should be subject to an effective, independent and comprehensive investigation.
The organizations called on public officials to refrain from exerting improper influence on the judiciary and law enforcement bodies.
They urged Investigative Committee Chairman Artur Poghosyan and Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan to ensure an independent and effective investigation based solely on the Constitution, Armenia's international obligations and domestic law, while safeguarding the presumption of innocence, the right to defense and the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.
They also called on the Investigative Committee to ensure that public information released during criminal investigations, including videos, does not violate the rights of those involved, and urged both the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General's Office to open criminal proceedings into the alleged unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against Tsarukyan and hold the National Security Service officers involved accountable.
The statement further called on the Police and the National Security Service to carry out their duties in accordance with the Constitution, Armenia's international obligations and national legislation, without resorting to unlawful, disproportionate or unnecessary force.
The statement was signed by Protection of Rights Without Borders NGO, the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, Helsinki Association NGO, New Culture of Justice NGO, Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, Journalists for Human Rights NGO, For Equal Rights NGO, the Law Development and Protection Foundation, the Armenian Committee of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, the Community Consolidation and Support Center NGO, and the Regional Center for Democracy and Security.
Beginning early on July 6, officers from the National Security Service, the State Revenue Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted simultaneous searches at more than 70 locations, including Tsarukyan's residence and companies linked to him. Tsarukyan was detained. On July 7, the Avan and Nor Nork Court of General Jurisdiction considered his pretrial measure, and by the end of the day ordered his detention for two months.
One of the lions transferred from Tsarukyan's residence to Yerevan Zoo died after sedation. Authorities said the animal's death was due to advanced age and underlying health conditions.
