Ambassador Lilit Makunts Assaulted by Two Individuals on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, DC  — Armenia’s Ambassador to the US, Lilit Makunts, was featured as one of the speakers during the Armenian Genocide commemoration event at the US Capitol. On her way out of the premises, the Ambassador was confronted by two young individuals who apparently are members of ARF. The two individuals threw some type of liquid at her during the confrontation. The youth were apprehended, questioned and released by the law enforcement authorities and are facing criminal charges.

The following is a statement from the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the United States:

“Information is circulating in the press that supposedly the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States demanded that the US police arrest American-Armenian youth. The 29^th article of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 stipulates the immunity of the person of the diplomat and the obligation of the state of residency to prevent any encroachment on his/her person, freedom or honor. On April 27 of this year in the US House of Representatives an act of hooliganism was committed against the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to which the relevant law enforcement agencies immediately responded.

Any encroachment upon the free movement of diplomats or their person is considered a violation of the abovementioned international convention. The rapid response of American law enforcement agencies on this April 27, as well as in the case of prior incidents was caused by the aforementioned circumstance.”