STATEMENT

The whole course of the assembly and the subsequent procession held in Yerevan in connection with the Russian president’s official visit to the Republic of Armenia was covered by local media. Some of them published judgements and opinions which don't fully reflect the de-facto developments.
Despite of the fact that the society had previously been notified about certain traffic restrictions scheduled for December 2, still Police of the Republic of Armenia exercising their statutory powers and observing restraint and tolerance, supported the participants of the urgent assembly held in Azatutyan square at 13:00 in making a peaceful procession towards the Republic of Armenia Government building and handing their open latter to the RA Government.
At the same time taking into account the fact that the purpose of holding urgent assembly and procession is fulfilled, i.e. the open letter to the RA Government is already handed, to ensure and protect other citizens’ rights and abstain from further traffic obstacles and restrictions for other persons to exercise their right to move freely, Police officers addressed an appeal to the participants of the assembly to carry out their instructions, abstain from movement along central streets, keep coexistence rules and show respect towards each other and the personnel responsible for traffic control.
Thus, Police of the Republic of Armenia exerted every effort not to let certain assembly participants' conduct lead to grave consequences on the one hand and to nowise restrict peaceful assembly participants' political rights on the other hand.
Nevertheless, it was not possible to fully exclude certain  assembly participants' illegal conduct. Consequently, 110 persons were conveyed to police territorial divisions charged for not carrying out police officers' statutory instructions made for the sake of ensuring the natural and peaceful course of the assembly.