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Armenia: People's Party of Armenia; treatment by authorities and society; state protection (2002-2003)

Armenia has two currently active political parties called the People's Party and the People's Party of Armenia (also known as the Armenian People's Party) (Armenia 2003a; Armenia 2003b). The People's Party (PP), led by Tigran Karapetian, was formed in 1995, and currently claims 3,500 members (ibid.).

This Response to Information Request concerns the larger of the two parties, the People's Party of Armenia (PPA) (Hayastani Zhoghovrdakan Kusaktsutyun, HZhK). Launched in 1998 (Political Parties of the World 2002, 21; EFDS 15 May 2003) te PPA currently has 53 regional offices, 1,200 political clubs and 30,000 registered members (Armenia 2003a). The party's founder was the former first secretary of the Armenian Communist Party (1974 to 1988), Karen Demirchyan, who was one of the eight parliamentarians slain in October 1999 when gunmen opened fire on the Armenian parliament during debate (Political Parties of the World 2002, 21; EFDS 15 May 2003). Since 24 December 1999, the party's chairman has been Demirchyan's son Stepan (ibid.; Political Parties of the World 2002, 21; Armenia Now 21 Feb. 2003).

Initially a proponent of President Robert Kocharyan while a member of the parliamentary bloc Unity (Miasnutiun), the PPA moved to the opposition in 2001 (OSCE 31 July 2003, 3; Europa 2002 2002, 528). Stepan Demirchyan's strong second place showing in the 19 February - 5 March 2003 presidential elections, helped the PPA to become, according to the European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity (EFDS), "the main opposition force, to which other opposition parties ally" (15 May 2003). Similarly, Armenia Now stated that Demirchyan's performance seemed to have solidified the opposition (21 Feb. 2003). Before the May 2003 parliamentary elections, the PPA formed the opposition Justice Bloc (Ardarutyun), which united nine opposition parties, including the Republic Party, the National Democratic Union, the Democratic Party, the Hnchak Social Democratic Party and the Union of Constitutional Law (BBC Monitoring 9 May 2003; see also OSCE 31 July 2003, 3). In the May 2003 parliamentary election the bloc came second behind the Republican Party and received 13.71 per cent of the vote to capture 14 of the 75 parliamentary seats by proportional representation (OSCE 31 July 2003, app. A; Arminfo 31 May 2003). The PPA was apportioned 5 of those 14 seats (Armenia n.d.).

Treatment of the PPA

In September 2003 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that

[c]urrently, no member of any political party appears to face discrimination or specific problems or difficulties based on his/her party membership. This includes the political party leaders as well (UNHCR Sept. 2003, 42).

However, in the opinion of Human Rights Watch (HRW), administrative detentions have been used as "a tool of repression" by Armenian authorities to lock up protesters and activists in periods of high political tension (23 May 2003, 2). Such was the case in February and March 2003 when numerous demonstrators were arrested while protesting alleged election fraud in the presidential election (DPA 23 Feb. 2003; RFE/RL 10 Mar 2003; ibid. 28 Feb. 2003; Arminfo 1 Mar. 2003; Eurasianet.org 10 Mar. 2003; UNHCR Sept. 2003, 41). HRW described political repression during and after the Presidential election as having "the most sustained, extensive ... in the last seven years" (23 May 2003, 2).

With respect to the PPA, supporters of Demirchyan were reportedly threatened and intimidated in an effort to discourage them from attending protests (Eurasianet.org 10 Mar. 2003). The majority of the 150 persons detained in late February were associated with the PPA (Armenia Liberty 1 Mar. 2003) and included members of Demirchyan's presidential election campaign staff (HRW 23 May 2003, 6, 10-11). Of the 150 arrestees, many were charged for "organizing and directing unsanctioned marches and demonstrations" under Article 180 of the Code of Administrative Violations, 86 persons received "short jail sentences" while the remainder paid fines and were set free (Armenia Liberty 1 Mar. 2003). In early March, the PPA claimed Armenian authorities arrested another group of between 72 and 103 demonstrators (Armenia Now 28 Mar. 2003). Some of these received 15-day prison terms and at least one was assaulted (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Armenia. 2003a. Central Election Commission. "Parliamentary Elections 2003 May 25: 'Justice' Bloc." <http://par03.elections.am/?go=cand_info2&lan=eng&cand=5> [Accessed 30 Jan. 2004]

_____. 2003b. Central Election Commission. "Parliamentary Elections 2003 May 25: People's Party." <http://par03.elections.am/?go=cand_info2&lan=eng&cand=9> [Accessed 30 Jan. 2004]

_____. n.d. National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. "Members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia: Factions/Deputy Groups." <http://www.parliament.am/deputies.php?sel=groups&lang=eng> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

Armenia Liberty [Yerevan]. 1 March 2003. Emil Danielyan. "Authorities Release Some Oppositionists Amid Fresh Protests." <http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2003/03/BB75EFCA-F2CF-45A7-9F47-911D953DE7BB.asp> [Accessed 2 Feb. 2004]

Armenia Now [Yerevan]. 28 March 2003. Zhanna Alexanyan. "Crackdown or Crime? Arrests Continue to Follow Presidential Election." <http://www.armenianow.com/2003/march28/news/crackdownorcrime> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

_____. 21 February 2003. Zhanna Alexanyan. "Decision 2003: The Son Also Rises." <http://www.armenianow.com/2003/february21/news/thesonalsorises/> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

Arminfo News Agency [Yerevan, in Russian]. 31 May 2003. "Pro-Presidential Republican Party Wins Most Seats in Armenian Parliament." (FBIS-SOV-2003-0531 2 June 2003/Diaog)

_____. 1 March 2003. "Human Rights Watch Says Armenia Runoff in Jeopardy Over Opposition Arrests." (Dialog)

BBC Monitoring. 9 May 2003. "Guide to Armenian Parliamentary Elections May 2003." (Armenia Daily Digest 13 May 2003/Eurasianet.org) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/Armenia/hypermail/200305/0036.shtml> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 23 February 2003. "Armenian Opposition Demonstrates Against Election Results." (Dialog)

Eurasianet.org. 10 March 2003. Eurasia Insight. Nicole Vartanian. "Opposition Refuses to Admit Defeat in Armenia, Protests Continue." <http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav031003_pr.shtml> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

Europa World Year Book 2002. 2002. 43rd ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications

European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity (EFDS), Amsterdam. 15 May 2003. "Country Update Armenia." <http://www.europeanforum.net/country_updates/Armenia> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 23 May 2003. "An Imitation of Law: the Use of Administrative Detention in the 2003 Armenian Presidential Election." <http://hrw.org/backgrounder/eca/armenia/armenia052303bck.pdf> [Accessed 30 Jan. 2004]

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). 31 July 2003. Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Republic of Armenia: Parliamentary Elections 25 May 2003 Final Report. <http://www.osce.org/press_rel/2003/pdf_documents/03-3101-odihr1.pdf> [Accessed 28 Jan. 2004]

Political Parties of the World. 2002. 5th Edition. Edited by Alan J. Day. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 10 March 2003. Newsline. Liz Fuller. "Armenian Opposition Vow to Continue Election Protests." (Armenian Daily Digest/Eurasia) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resources/Armenia/hypermail/200303/0018.shtml> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

_____. 28 February 2003. Newsline. Liz Fuller. "More Supporters of Armenian Presidential Challenger Arrested." (Armenian Daily Digest/Eurasia) <http://www.eurasianet.org/resources/Armenia/hypermail/200302/0072.shtml> [Accessed 29 Jan. 2004]

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). September 2003. International Protection Considerations Regarding Armenian Asylum-Seekers and Refugees. <http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendoc.pdf?tbl=RSDLEGAL&id=3f5f27d14> [Accessed 30 Jan. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Dialog

World News Connection

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

Caucasus Media Institute

CIDCM

Electionworld.org

Europa World Year Book 2003

European Country of Origin Information Network

Pomegranate: Journal of Democracy for the South Caucasus