Detention of Combat Brotherhood members flagrant violation of  universal rights - Arman Tatoyan 

ArmInfo. The police detained members of the Combat Brotherhood organization in flagrant violation  of their universal rights, reads a statement by the ex- Ombudsman of Armenia, head of the Tatoyan Foundation, Arman Tatoyan.

The human rights activist said that on March 24, his team received  many signals that the police were detaining members of the Combat  Brotherhood organization on suspicion of "illegal possession of  weapons and ammunition."

"According to signals, about a week before this police operation, the  organization sent a notification to the competent authorities of  Armenia about its intention to visit Voskepar. From March 22, members  of the organization began to receive calls from the police and  "invite for a conversation." The majority did not go, stating that  the invitations were illegal.

According to the alerts sent to us, on March 23, members of the group  received warnings from the police that none of the members of the  "Combat Brotherhood" would reach Voskepar if they decided to make a  visit.

Moreover, the police threatened them that if they decided to make a  visit, they would all be detained on charges of illegally carrying  weapons. And taking into account the fact that the "Combat  Brotherhood" conducts combat training, they will easily be able to  form the opinion in society that they carry illegal weapons and  ammunition. In this sense, they will not have public support,"  Tatoyan said.

According to him, information was also received that none of the  members of the "Combat Brotherhood" sent to Voskepar had any weapons  with them, taking into account the police threats of arrest and the  threat of forming a false public opinion.

The human rights activist also added that according to the reports  received, the "Combat Brotherhood" has had the appropriate permission  and a signed memorandum with the municipality of Noyemberyan for more  than a year to conduct training, and there are appropriate  permissions for all the weapons they use.

"On March 24, at the agreed departure point for members of the  organization in Voskepar, on Abovyan Street, 60 in Yerevan, police  representatives were already waiting for them, who detained all the  participants there.

Those members of the organization who participated in the war and/or  in the past in military operations and are recognizable in society  were detained in their home or when leaving them.  More than 40  members were arrested either in Yerevan or Voskepar. The last police  representatives in Voskepar reported that their presence there was  inappropriate.

It also became known that the police used disproportionate force when  detaining people in violation of the law. In addition, according to  reports, the homes of some of the detainees were searched without a  proper court order to carry out such actions. The detainees were not  given the opportunity to call or be notified.

Ensuring all these rights is an important international requirement.  Their violation will not be tolerated, and they are intended to  protect them from wrongful imprisonment or wrongful prosecution,"  Tatoyan said, adding that this message was released after checking  the facts from several sources.

Yesterday, against the backdrop of reports about the detention of  members of this organization, which was heading to Tavush to organize  the defense of the village, if the RA authorities decide to surrender  this Armenian village, information appeared in the Azerbaijani  segment of the media that in response to the readiness to surrender 4  Tavush villages, Azerbaijan opened 18 criminal cases against  Armenians.

According to the head of the press service of the military  prosecutor's office of Azerbaijan, 18 people were put on the wanted  list for their alleged involvement in "crimes against peace and  humanity" during a hastily fabricated "genocide episode" in the  village of Baganis-Ayrim.