MPs of ARF Dashnaktsutyun party bail out neo-nazi attacker of DIY bar. Dashnak MP Artsvik Minasyan supports arson attack, effectively encouraging terrorism in Armenia

The day brought about truly scandalous developments. At a press conference (15 May) on hate crimes and recent attack on DIY bar in Yerevan, it was revealed that Armenian MPs from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan and Hrayr Karapetyan bailed out one of the detained arsonists, while the other one was released on signature that he won’t leave the country.

In an interview with Panorama.am, Artsvik Minasyan effectively confirmed the news, saying that he knows the detainees and they are “normal people, normal persons; the investigation will reveal to what extent the violation they committed endangered public safety”.

Որովհետև ճանաչելով այդ երիտասարդներին, գտնում եմ, որ իրենք նորմալ մարդիկ են, նորմալ անձնավորություն են, և դեռ քննությունը կպարզի, որքանով է իրավախախտումը համապատասխանում հասարակության վտանգավորության աստիճանին:

About the owner of DIY bar, Dashnak MP said that “people like Tsomak destroy Armenian society”.

Ծոմակին ես երեկ հեռուստատեսությամբ եմ առաջին անգամ լսել, և համարում եմ, որ նրա տեսակը, կոպիտ բառ չեմ ուզում ասել, ոչնչացնում է հայ հասարակությանը:

He then went on further to justify arsonists, saying they acted in accordance with the "context of our societal & national ideology, in the right way" (!!).

Տվյալ դեպքում ես համոզված եմ, որ այդ երիտասարդները շարժվել են մեր հասարակության և ազգային գաղափարաբանության համատեքստում, ճիշտ ձևով:

Basically, Armenian MP of ARF Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. With such statement, he acted as a pure criminal. ARF Dashnaktsutyun party must explain what's going on or else I'll conclude they support terrorism too.

@onewphoto: [...] I question suitability of bail 4 someone caught on camera firebombing a target in a residential building. Especially given risk of him escaping to Iran. This is high-level connections crap. Bail amount was nothing too. 

@KevorkO: A 'national ideology' that deems thuggery and terrorism more 'normal' than homosexuality is nothing less than degenerate

On Facebook, journalist friend reacted to ARF Dashnak MP support of arsonists against DIY: “ARF has died. Tomorrow is the burial”.

One Dashnak member changed her Facebook profile picture with the one of rainbow colours and “Dashnaks for LGBT rights” written across.

If ARF Dashnaktsutyun won't make clear statements distancing itself from its own MP, then truly this is a death of ARF Dashnaktsutyun as a political party and its transformation into a neo-nazi group that supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. Needless to say, utterly homophobic too.

Good to see this ARF Dashnaktsutyun-affiliated publication in Diaspora - The Armenian Weekly - writing a decent piece about the incident: Hate Crime Targets Gay Friendly Bar in Yerevan, MPs Bail out Assailants ...while local Yerevan-based ARF-affiliated Yerkir Media TV station resorts to pathetic homophobic rant.

If ARF-affiliated groups and party members worldwide care about the reputation of their party, and - more importantly - the future of Armenia, they should speak up against homophobia. They should demand that ARF makes statement clearly disassociated from their MP’s statement. They should demand that disgraced MP Artsvik Minasyan resign.

New attack on DIY

On 15 May new attack on DIY bar was carried out by reportedly group of 16-18 years old youth. Attackers burned anti-fascist posters in DIY and painted Nazi signs on the wall.

*picture by Lara Aharonian 

The attack was captured by CCTV, and two of the alleged attackers were questioned.

As a friend of mine commented on Facebook, “..hate crime, no public condemnation by authorities, more encouragement by an MP and now repetition of hate crime, do you see the cycle?..”
***
For background: 
HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack
DIY: the moment of attack (CCTV footage)
Please, help re-build DIY !! Your support is essential !!
Statement by NGOs and activists re: neo-nazi attack on DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan + news update


Other relevant posts:
IANYAN: Armenia: In Wake of Arson Attack, Support and Fear

An early morning arson attack on the popular Yerevan-based bar, DIY last week has led to an outpouring of support from concerned citizens, activists and customers who frequented the relatively new establishment, but also anxiously renewed fears in the country’s LGBTQ population, who have kept a relatively low profile and faced discrimination for years. 

DIY, which bills itself as a bar for alternative thinkers, was frequented by many in Armenia’s gay community, a place considered a safe haven, free of judgment or discrimination. The violent act, which caused around $4,000 of damage according to well-informed sources, is being said to have been motivated by nationalistic and fascist ideology – the bar’s gay-friendly atmosphere as well as owner Tsomak Oganesova’s attendance at Istanbul’s Gay Pride Parade in neighboring Turkey have been cited as two key factors that have categorized the attack as a hate crime. [...]

Adrineh’s post raises questions asked by some in Armenia LGBT community: What happens next?... including concerns and fears for lives of LGBT people in Armenia. [Queer-Friendly Yerevan Bar Bombed: What Happens Next?]