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Armenian police used excessive force against peaceful protesters on July 29, 2016 and assaulted journalists reporting on the demonstrations, Human Rights Watch said today. Police used stun grenades, which wounded dozens of demonstrators and some journalists, some severely. The police also beat journalists and protesters and detained dozens of people.

Armenian authorities have opened an investigation into police actions on July 29.

“Armenia’s investigation of the police assaults on demonstrators on July 29 should be swift and thorough. While the police have an obligation to maintain public order, they do not have carte blanche to use violence against people gathered to peacefully express their views,” said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch.

According to the HRW, journalists and protesters told them that although police told protest leaders that the crowd had to disperse, the police did not make any meaningful effort to warn the crowds to disperse or about their plans to use force. Journalists said police fired several stun grenades in their direction. Video footage supports these accounts.

“Police should not interfere with the legitimate work of journalists, let alone attack and punish them for doing their jobs,” Gogia said.

In the article, the HRW states that governments are obligated to respect basic human rights standards on the use of force in police operations, including in dispersing both legal and illegal demonstrations. The UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials require police to use nonviolent means, such as demands to vacate an area, before resorting to force and firearms. Police should adhere to a principle of measured escalation of force. When using force, law enforcement officials shall exercise restraint and act proportionately to the threat posed, and seek to minimize damage and injury.

The European Court of Human Rights has also found that governments should show a high tolerance for peaceful assembly, even assemblies that the authorities deem unsanctioned or illegal.

“If protests in Yerevan continue, police should not use excessive force against peaceful demonstrations,” Gogia said. “Violence against peaceful protestors and journalists is never justified.”

Read the full article on the official website of Human Rights Watch.