Opposition lawmakers from the “Hayastan” and “Pativ Unem” factions met on Wednesday with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien to discuss their concerns regarding the Armenian government’s recent territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, as well as issues related to human rights conditions in the country.
During their discussion, the lawmakers voiced their opposition to the current process of delimitation and demarcation of borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including what they called “unilateral concession and capitulation” by the Armenian authorities.
The opposition lawmakers also raised concerns related to the protection of the rights of forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians and the problems they have faced in Armenia. The right of their collective return to Artsakh was also discussed with the ambassador.
The opposition lawmakers also expressed their concern about what they see as a sharp retreat from democratic values and freedoms in Armenia, emphasizing the rise in police brutality, the cases of restricting the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, said a statement issued by the faction following the meeting.
The lawmakers said that it is unacceptable that Armenia’s entire judiciary is currently being controlled by the executive branch. Similarly, the opposition members brought to the ambassador’s attention the increasing instances of remand, which they said has resulted in many opposition politicians and activists participating in protests being imprisoned on “trumped up charges.”
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said they spoke about “a broad range of issues important to the bilateral relationship, including U.S. support for Armenia’s democratic development, human rights, and the peace process.”
“The Ambassador underscored U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and welcomed Armenia and Azerbaijan’s recent agreement to use the Alma Ata Declaration as a basis for border delimitation,” the statement added.