The “Red Berets” feel above the law: Human rights defender about MP beaten

The unprecedented police actions on May 27, 2024, caused the surprise and anger of the entire legal community. Let us remember that, for the first time, an MP was openly beaten by the police. In a conversation with ABC Media, Human Rights Defender Ruben Melikyan divided the police actions of May 27 into two parts: common violations and at least one case of unusual violation.

“We have talked a lot about common violations: use of disproportionate force, arresting people from the sidewalks, which they have no right to do,” he said.

As for the unusual violation, Melikyan meant the case when MP Ashot Simonyan was beaten.

“The Red Berets behaved like thugs, like a group of hooligans. For the first time, there was a slight reaction, and one person was fired. First of all, he was not alone; there were several of them. We have already reported the crime. And there should not be an official investigation; criminal proceedings should be taken, and they should be brought to account. And it shows that Armenia is not a country of law, but that the “Red Berets” feel above the law,” Melikyan noted.