Statement regarding threats against Women’s Resource Center

The dissemination of aggressive misinformation is strongly marked on the eve of Association Agreement with the European Union, the target of which became human rights organizations.

Recently, instead of the faction submitting the draft, organizations engaged in the protection of women’s rights are re-targeted during the heated discussions over the RA draft law about amendments to the RA law on “Equal rights and equal opportunities of women and men”.

Particularly, an attempt is made to justify the draft law over amendments to the law by deforming the activities carried out by the Women’s Resource Center NGO and instigating aggressive attitude towards the organizations and its representatives until the point to voice threats of blowing up the Organization’s office.

There can be no other opinion that the authorities of the Republic of Armenia don’t carry out the commitments undertaken over the elimination of all forms of discrimination and protection of human rights defenders as well as recommendations of international structures.

The inactivity of the authorities over elimination of discrimination is covered up by creating a fake public demand via misinformation, the goal of which is to establish legislative and practical grounds for displaying discrimination failing to realize the dangerousness of the results of such a conduct both for the society and for the state.

By strongly condemning the dissemination of misinformation inciting discriminating and aggressive attitude and the voiced threats,

• We declare that the RA Police is the direct responsible for any encroachments against Women’s Resource Center.
• We demand that by carrying out its obligations, the RA Police should ensure the security of Women’s Resource Center and its staff as well as reveal the identity of those posing threats to the Organization’s staff and separate members.

1. Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor NGO
2. Unison NGO
3. Journalists for Human Rights NGO
4. Women’s Support Center NGO
5. Socioscope NGO
6. Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO
7. Journalists’ Club “Asparez”
8. “Menk +” Social NGO
9. Arena of Education NGO
10. New Generation humanitarian NGO
11. Guarantee Center of Civil Society NGO
12. “Borders of our Rights” human rights NGO
13. Yerevan Center for Human Rights Protection NGO
14. Yerevan Press Club
15. Shahkhatun NGO
16. Women’s Resource Center NGO
17. Helsinki Committee of Armenia NGO
18. Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
19. Committee for the Protection of Freedom of Speech NGO
20. Partnership for Democracy NGO
21. Armavir Development Center NGO
22. “Rule of Law” Human Rights NGO
23. Coalition to Stop Violence against Women
24. A. D. Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Centre NGO
25. Victims of State Needs NGO
26. Martuni Women’s Community Council NGO
27. Goris Press Club
28. Arevamanuk Fund
29. Spitak Helsinki Group NGO
30. “Agate” center for women with special needs
31. Khoran Ard Intelectual Center NGO
32. Real World, Real People NGO
33. Society without Violence NGO
34. Transparency International Anti-corruption Center
35. Democracy Today NGO
36. ProMedia-Gender NGO