Nalbandian assures EU: Armenia not only fully respects assembly  freedom, but also ensures proportional exercise 

ArmInfo. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Justice Minister David Harutyunyan met with heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia.

As Armenian FM press service told ArmInfo, Nalbandian drew the  attention of those present to the processes that took place after the  meeting with the ambassadors the day before. The Minister of Foreign  Affairs touched upon the complaints disseminated by the Ministry of  Justice of Armenia and law enforcement agencies pointing to obvious  violations of the RA law on freedom of assembly and demanding to stop  calls and actions aimed at violating public order.

Nalbandian noted that the leadership and spiritual leaders of Armenia  had repeatedly called for a dialogue.  "The President of the Republic  even visited the site of the rally to meet with the organizer and  start a dialogue. Today, on April 22, the expectation of  de-escalation from the meeting of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and  Nikol Pashinyan was not justified, as Pashinyan used this chance for  an ultimatum to the authorities, in fact rejecting the proposal for  dialogue," Nalbandian said.

Touching upon the statement of the European Union, the minister noted  that the Armenian side shares the theses expressed in it and not only  fully respects the right to freedom of assembly, but also in practice  ensures their proportional exercise in accordance with the  legislation and international obligations of Armenia. Nalbandian  stressed that the participants of the demonstration should respect  the relevant Armenian legislation when exercising their rights.

David Harutyunyan presented explanations on the law on freedom of  assembly and on international experience in ensuring freedom of  assembly.

The Minister of Justice, referring to the detention of deputies of  the National Assembly, noted that, ignoring the calls of the police,  the organizers of the demonstration continued calls on proportional  restriction of the constitutional rights of others and a decision was  taken to end the illegal rallies. "The organizers of the  demonstration Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan, Sasun Mikaelyan were  forcibly removed from the riot place, after which, with the purpose  of preventing the crime, with a direct suspicion of deliberately  organizing and holding a rally by violating the order established by  law, in compliance with the second part of the article 96 of the  Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, were detained," he said.

The leaders of several diplomatic missions noted the importance of  the steps taken to resolve the situation by political methods and  within the framework of the law.