Demonstrators gathered in front of St. Vartan’s Cathedral and Armenia’s Mission to the U.N. in New York City, and at Armenia’s Embassy to the United States in Washington, D.C., on June 28, 29, and 30, respectively, to show solidarity with the Electric Yerevan protesters in Yerevan.
For the past two weeks, the unprecedented #ElectricYerevan movement has called for a reversal of the electricity hikes announced by the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia on June 17. The protesters in Yerevan have also demanded accountability for police violence against peaceful demonstrators on June 23 on Baghramyan Avenue.
The East Coast coalition of demonstrators has released an online petition and is calling on all supporters of the movement to sign, to urge major Armenian Diasporan foundations, organizations, and religious institutions to “Stop providing support to the government of Armenia until demands of the #ElectricYerevan protesters are met to (a) reverse the decision of the electricity price hike, and (b) investigate and punish the police abuses of June 23.”
Below is the text of the petition posted on change.org (https://www.change.org/p/solidarity-from-the-armenian-diaspora-to-electric-yerevan?just_created=true).
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Petitioning Major Foundations, Organizations, and Religious Institutions of the Armenian Diaspora
Stop providing support to the government of Armenia until the demands of the #ElectricYerevan protestors are met to (a) reverse the decision of the electricity price hike, and (b) investigate and punish the police abuses of June 23, 2015.
We, the undersigned, condemn the unwarranted brutality by the police towards peaceful protestors of #ElectricYerevan who were exercising their right to free assembly and freedom of speech as they demonstrated against electricity tariff hikes in Armenia on June 23, 2015. We also denounce the police violations against journalists who were documenting these protests.
On the streets for a week now, the citizens of Armenia have spoken loudly and clearly that they will not tolerate the plunder and corruption anymore. We stand in solidarity with them.
We believe that Justice must be at the core of a truly reborn and ascendant Armenia. Our history demands it, especially if we are to demand it of others—including our historical enemies.
We call upon all members of the Diaspora, including our major foundations, organizations, and religious institutions, to join us. We ask specifically for the faith of our church leaders and the courage of our institutions to amplify a message to the Armenian government that we will provide no more support until the demands of the protestors are satisfied, and the police abuses are investigated and punished.
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