07.05.2007 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Basic data on National Unity party ("Political parties of the republic of Armenia participating in the national assembly elections 2007; Voters Guidebook") [ID 19803]

"1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Address of the head office: 33a Moskovyan, Yerevan

Telephone, fax: (+37410) 53-36-32, 53-13-43, 56-88-80

E-mail: amiab@arminco.com

Website: www.amiab.am

Foundation date: 27.12.1996

Charter and Program approval date: 27.12.1996

State registration date : 28.02.1997

State re-registration date: 24.11.2003

Number of party members at the time of completing questionnaire: 46700 members

Date of publication of the Party’s Program and Charter and the name of mass media: “Iravunk” daily newspaper, 27.12.1996

2. GOVERNING BODIES AND THE LEADER OF THE PARTY

Congress - 1675 members

Presidency - 21 members

Party President: Artashes Geghamyan

3. IDEOLOGICAL PLATFORM, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PARTY:
The main objective of the Party is to contribute to the protection of self-realization right of every individual in the society, securing his/her economic independence, recognition of democratic will of majority and protection of minority rights. The
Party acts towards the comprehension that individual’s life, his/her dignity and conscience have, ubdoubtedly, a higher priority than the state power.
The Party pursues an objective of developing in Armenia the following:

civil society;

civilized state order, where the state protects the rights of citizens;

competitive, socially-oriented economic system."

Document(s): Open document

10.11.2005 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Opposition in parliament is represented by Justice bloc and National Unity ("Constitutional referendum 27 November 2005 - OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report"") [#39059],  [ID 15560]

"The opposition in the Parliament is represented by the Justice Bloc, comprising some 10 parties led by the People’s Party of Armenia of Mr. Stephan Demirchyan, and the Party of National Unity led by Mr. Artashes Geghamyan."

Document(s): Open document

03.11.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

National Unity has been boycotting most parliamentary business since 2003 ("Constitutional Wrangling in Armenia") [#38595],  [ID 15561]

"The two main opposition factions, Justice and National Unity, have been boycotting most parliamentary business since 2003. They claim Kocharian won the 2003 presidential election, and his supporters swept the board in a parliamentary poll the same year, only by fixing the results. The authorities deny that assertion"

Document(s): Open document

26.09.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

In August 2005, National Unity was subjected to dissolution for not fulfilling requirements by law ("Reports from the Council of Europe Field Offices; July, August 2005 [SG/Inf(2005) 17]") [#37508],  [ID 15562]

"The Agency of the State Register of Legal Entities of the Staff of the Ministry of Justice stated on 10 August that six political parties were subject to dissolution, among them two Opposition parties: National Democratic Party and National Unity. The afore-mentioned parties had not submitted data on the number of the members as required by law. The relevant official subsequently confirmed receipt of the necessary data from the National Democratic Party."

Document(s): Open document

06.04.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Journalists beaten up at meeting of National Unity leader Geghamyan and supporters ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2005 (Events 2004)") [#30950],  [ID 15563]

"Journalists who were trying to videorecord and take photos of the 5 April meeting between about 5,000 voters with Artashes Geghamyan, the leader of the opposition party National Unity, were beaten up by bodyguards of Armenian oligarchs while several hundred policemen, who witnessed the incident, remained inactive."

Document(s): Open document

18.10.2004 - Source: International Crisis Group

Information on the Geghamian clan ("Armenia: Internal Instability Ahead") [#26458],  [ID 15564]

"3. The Geghamian clan

Artashes Geghamian came third during the first round of the 2003 Presidential elections with 17 per cent. He is a controversial figure among the opposition: a former Yerevan mayor, a populist orator sometimes dubbed the "Armenian Zhirinovski", and leader of the National Unity Party (AMK). Having gained support from very different groups, including some in government in the past, many question to what extent he deserves to be called, along with Stepan Demirchian, the second leader of the opposition.

Geghamian, who also ran for president in 1998, was boosted in 2003 by the endorsement of Armenia's best-known ex-dissident, Paruir Hairikian, who until recently was chairman of the presidential human rights commission. Most of his supporters, however, are former urban elites. He appears open to any coalition that offers him more power."

Document(s): Open document

15.07.2004 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

Detentions after protest rallies organised by National Unity and Justice bloc ("Reports from the Council of Europe Field Offices and Other Outposts, May 2004 [SG/Inf(2004) 20]") [#33376],  [ID 15565]

"1. Political and legislative developments

 1. In May, the opposition (Justice Bloc and National Unity) continued boycotting the activities of the National Assembly and organising rallies that took place on 4, 12, 14, 20 and 21 May in and outside Yerevan. Allegedly before each rally in Yerevan the roads to the capital city were blocked, and after each rally there were cases of people detained."

Document(s): Open document

02.06.2004 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

Several protest rallies organised by National Unity in April 2004 ("Reports from the Council of Europe Field Offices and Other Outposts April 2004 [SG/Inf(2004) 16]") [#33377],  [ID 15566]

"2. Several public gatherings have been staged by the opposition, some of them followed by marches – 5, 9, 10, 12, 16, 21, 27 April. Some were staged only by the National Unity Party, but most were joint actions of the Justice Bloc and the National Unity Party. The number of participants varied greatly from one gathering to another. During these public events, leaders of the opposition called for the drafting of amendments to the law of referendum to be discussed by the Parliament and for the “resignation of the President”."

Document(s): Open document

04.05.2004 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Government reacted with repression to protests against president by opposition in March and April 2004 ("Cycle of repression: Human rights violations in Armenia") [#21895],  [ID 15567]

"At the end of March 2004, two of the main opposition groups, the Artarutiun (Justice) Alliance, which consists of nine parties—including the Republic Party, the People’s Party, and the National Unity Party—joined forces and announced its campaign of action. Following this move, the opposition intensified its efforts, making further announcements and mobilizing in Armenia’s provinces. The authorities responded by restricting freedom of movement, carrying out detentions, and threatening criminal charges against opposition campaign organizers.

On March 28, approximately one thousand opposition supporters rallied in Giumri, Armenia’s second largest city. Pro-government supporters appeared at the rally and threw eggs at opposition leaders. Scuffles broke out and police arrested up to fifteen opposition demonstrators, but did not arrest any of the pro-government supporters. Police charged four of the activists with hooliganism under article 258 of the criminal code and a court remanded them in custody for two months pre-trial detention. The others were released without charge.

On March 30, the procurator general, or attorney general, opened a criminal case against the Justice Alliance and its supporters under articles 301 (public calls for seizure of power by force) and 318(2) (publicly insulting representatives of government) of the criminal code. The procurator general stated that the charges were related to the recent protests initiated by the Justice Alliance.  As a result of opening the criminal case, the authorities began to summon opposition leaders for questioning as witnesses. On April 5, Artashes Geghamian, the leader of the National Unity Party, addressed a rally in Yerevan, organized by the party, that drew an estimated 3,000 participants. As he was speaking, about two dozen men pelted him with eggs. Some fighting broke out between the rally participants and these men. When journalists present tried to film the clashes, the men attacked the journalists and smashed their cameras. Several hundred police stood by observing the events, but took no action. The Yerevan police chief reportedly defended the police inaction, stating that the police properly followed their orders to take action only in “extreme cases.” Police later confirmed that following the rally they detained forty-eight opposition supporters. "

Document(s): Open document

04.05.2004 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Freedom of movement limited for opposition supporters, National Unity members detained on their way to a protest rally ("Cycle of repression: Human rights violations in Armenia") [#21895],  [ID 15568]

"From the end of March until mid-April 2004, police restricted the movement of opposition supporters trying to travel to Yerevan to attend rallies by setting up road blocks, stopping cars, questioning the passengers, and denying permission to travel further to those they believed were opposition supporters. These actions breached the right to freedom of movement, protected under international law. On the morning of April 5, between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon, police stopped nine members of the National Unity Party in three cars at a check point as they were leaving Vanadzor, Armenia’s third largest city, on the main road to Yerevan. They were intending to participate in a rally at 3:00 p.m. in Yerevan. Police held the nine men at the Vanadzor police station, reportedly telling them, “we have saved you from being beaten in Yerevan.” Police took three of the men to the local court, which sentenced them to five days of administrative detention for not following police orders. The rest were released at 8:00 p.m. on the same day. In early April, the police presence in Vanadzor increased significantly and members of the National Police force were brought into the city to help the local police to monitor the roadblocks. Police told a local human rights defender that the increased police presence was a result of an order on the “tense situation.” On April 9, police sent a minivan to the outskirts of Vanadzor and detained people in it who were traveling to Yerevan whom they suspected were intending to participate in opposition rallies."

Document(s): Open document