UHRC Demands Justice for Zaruhi Petrosyan

Community to March for an End to Violence Against Women on Jan. 30

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Members of the United Human Rights Council (UHRC) last week urged the Armenian community of Los Angeles to join the organization on Jan. 30 in rallying to end violence against women in Armenia.

Zaruhi Petrosyan

Speaking on Horizon Armenian Television’s “Horizon 180″ program with Manoug Seraydarian, UHRC members Sanan Shirinian and Nora Kayserian spoke about the upcoming march through Hollywood and their organization’s overall objectives with the demonstration.

The march, which is set to begin at Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School (1615 N. Alexandria Ave., Los Angeles) at 1:30 p.m. will be held in honor of 20-year-old Zaruhi Petrosyan, who was brutally beaten to death in her Yerevan home by her husband and mother-in-law late last year. Zaruhi was killed despite repeated warnings to police that she her life was in jeopardy.

According to Shirinian and Kayserian, the demonstrators will listen to speakers discuss the issue, sign petitions, and march around Little Armenia carrying signs and reading testimonials from victims of domestic violence.

According to a statement on the UHRC website, the march is being organized “in solidarity with courageous activists in Armenia who are dedicated to pushing for positive change in Armenia on the human rights issue. The marchers will also demand that the government of Armenia take immediate action to prevent and punish violence against women, which has become an endemic social problem throughout the republic.

“We will march so that victims of domestic violence, locally and abroad, know that there is hope,” Shirinian told Asbarez after the interview. “It is important for us and organizations in Armenia to work together on this issue, to send a more powerful message and make a bigger difference.”

For Kayserian, domestic violence isn’t a personal or familial issue, but a societal problem and a human rights violation. “Therefore it is the government’s responsibility to intervene to protect the victims,” she said.

7 Comments

  1. Excuse my ignorance, but how does marching around in protest in the middle of Little Armenia in LA help stop domestic violence in Armenia?  I understand the idea of having petitions signed and the wish to support activists in Armenia, but won’t the march simply draw negative attention to the community here?  How will it help Zaruhi’s child and others like them?

  2. Anan… Domestic violence exists in Armenia, yet be assured that this is true in so many other nations… Zaruhi is dead, yet let all,  in her memory, now pursue this issue of abuse be addressed in all and any manner – wherever it occurs.  Better to speak up and out and address this type of abuse of women – women’s voices, and too, men’s voices together, will bring attention to this vile abuse of so many women!  As for bringing negative attention to Armenia is not the issue… for domestic violence is prevalent even in so-called civilized nations… even in the USA…  Armenia can lead addressing this vile issue which occurs in all nations… in memory of our Zaruhi.  Too, fledgling Armenia, taking such stands in Zaruhi’s memory may, in speaking out, too, bring this women’s issue before the civilized nations of the world… thus airing such abusive treatment of women – in all societies… all across our world.  Too, in Washington DC I saw a building where women escaping abuse, together with their children, occupied a large apartment complex.  As I said, all across the world… even in the USA!  Manooshag

  3. Hye Ananoon, too, as I thought of the cruelty of the death of Zaruhi, too, I connected it to the violence of Genocides… despots who choose inhumanity to kill humans, as  the  Turkish Genocide of the Armenian nation.  Is not this the same mentality which perpetrates and pursues the vile elimination of humans…. worse, in mass killings – unending.
    Hence, the issue of Genocides still ‘allowed’ by so called civilized nations is also practiced by abusers of women… same inhumane mentality!!  Manooshag

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