Armenian National Committee of America
Armenian Assembly of America
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Eastern Region USA
Armenian General Benevolent Union
Armenian Council of America
Armenia Fund
American University of Armenia
Tufenkian Foundation
Knights and Daughters of Vartan
Armenian Missionary Association of America
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar)
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Children of Armenia Fund
Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society
The Armenian Church Youth Organization of America
To the aforementioned organizations:
As we all bear witness to the tense situation and ongoing demonstrations gripping Armenia today, we urge you to take a stand on the government’s disproportionate response to the non-violent protestors who have taken to the streets of Yerevan calling for a peaceful transition of power.
The demonstrations taking place in Armenia over the past 10 days represent the largest protests in the 27 years since Armenia’s independence. Faced with the specter of perpetual one-man rule, the people of Armenia are demanding that Serzh Sargsyan resign from the position of prime minister and allow for a peaceful transition of power after already having served two terms as president. The resulting protests have brought the streets of Yerevan to a halt as tens of thousands of citizens demand action. In response, the government has resorted to violence in order to disperse the peaceful protestors who were engaged in their constitutionally-protected right to assemble. The situation was escalated on the morning of April 22nd when Prime Minister Sargsyan publicly threatened the use of deadly force against peaceful demonstrators and, shortly thereafter, three members of Parliament were arrested despite their constitutionally-protected immunity. This is in addition to the more than 200 ordinary citizens who were also detained for participating in the protests.
We call on your organizations, as representatives of your respective communities, to take a stand on these recent developments. The Republic of Armenia is facing an existential crisis that it can ill afford and, while opinions may differ on the political solution,all leaders have a moral obligation to do their utmost to work toward a peaceful resolution of the current impasse. Threats of deadly violence and unlawful detainment of peaceful protestors will only further divide society and escalate the situation. As a result, we once again urge your organizations to issue a public statement calling on the authorities to refrain from violence, to protect the citizens’ right to peaceful assembly, and to uphold the legal immunity of parliament members.
Open letter from LA Armenians
Photo – demonstration in Glendale, April 22, 2018
