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HUMAN RIGHTS CHECK: ARMENIA OUT OF PROPORTION
by Giorgi Lomsadze
EurasiaNet.org
May 10 2011
NY
When it comes to human rights, the Armenian government needs to get
the concept of proportionality right, believes the Council of Europe's
human rights commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg.
After visiting Yerevan this January and hearing grievances from the
country's highly polarized political camps and civil society groups,
Hammarberg penned a report, released yesterday, that targeted a range
of human rights problems -- from police brutality to restricted civil
liberties -- characterized by the adjective "disproportionate."
Taming opposition-minded media? Putting up hurdles to gatherings of
government critics? Attempting to control civil society groups?
Disproportionate, disproportionate, disproportionate!
The powers that be in Armenia promised to consider Hammarberg's
instructions, but getting the proper sense of proportionality may
prove tricky. The commissioner characterized the use of police force
in the deadly 2008 clashes as "on the whole" proportionate, but with
disproportionate elements.
So, where to draw the line? Is it okay to have a fistfight until
somebody picks up a bottle? Defining "disproportionate" might be a
good place to start.
From: A. Papazian
by Giorgi Lomsadze
EurasiaNet.org
May 10 2011
NY
When it comes to human rights, the Armenian government needs to get
the concept of proportionality right, believes the Council of Europe's
human rights commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg.
After visiting Yerevan this January and hearing grievances from the
country's highly polarized political camps and civil society groups,
Hammarberg penned a report, released yesterday, that targeted a range
of human rights problems -- from police brutality to restricted civil
liberties -- characterized by the adjective "disproportionate."
Taming opposition-minded media? Putting up hurdles to gatherings of
government critics? Attempting to control civil society groups?
Disproportionate, disproportionate, disproportionate!
The powers that be in Armenia promised to consider Hammarberg's
instructions, but getting the proper sense of proportionality may
prove tricky. The commissioner characterized the use of police force
in the deadly 2008 clashes as "on the whole" proportionate, but with
disproportionate elements.
So, where to draw the line? Is it okay to have a fistfight until
somebody picks up a bottle? Defining "disproportionate" might be a
good place to start.
From: A. Papazian