Aliyev and Kocharian Concerned Over Establishment of “Dictatorship” in Armenia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who gained president’s post from his father as a heritage and during whose years of rule various international institutions condemned the leadership of that country for gross violations of human rights and crackdown and persecution against their political opponents and journalists, has expressed concern over the emerging dictatorship in Armenia.

During a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger Aliyev urged him not to be indifferent towards the political process in Armenia, drawing his attention on “mass violations of human rights, arrests of political opponents and the establishment of a new dictatorial regime in Armenia”.

Ridiculously, Armenia is blamed for establishing dictatorship by someone during whose presidency human rights violations have become regular in Azerbaijan and political persecutions and censorship have become normal for that country, whereas all the international democratic institutions, including the OSCE, have welcomed the peaceful change of power in Armenia and have expressed readiness to assist in further democratic reforms.

Similarly, former Armenian President Robert Kocharian who faces charges of breaching the constitution in 2008 by forcefully dispersing peaceful demonstration that resulted in the death of 10 Armenians has again accused the current authorities of carrying out a political persecution against him.

In an interview with the “Yerevan. Today” website published on Wednesday Kocharian  accused PM Nikol Pashinian of being responsible for all “Political” arrests in Armenia. “We are a member of the Council of Europe. Even dictators do not do so straightforwardly. Now I should congratulate the people of Armenia that we’ve got a new dictator. Was this the goal of the revolution?” the ex-president concluded.