Protesters decry Armenian ombudsperson's silence over opposition podcaster's hunger striker

Staff members of AntiFake.am on Monday staged a symbolic protest outside the Armenian Human Rights Defender’s Office, criticizing the ombudsperson’s silence over the ongoing hunger strike of detained opposition podcaster Narek Samsonyan.

Protesters laid out soft drinks and food on the building’s steps to symbolize the 11 days Samsonyan, the founder of the media outlet, has been on hunger strike. Samsonyan began the open-ended strike to protest the extension of pre-trial detention for himself and fellow podcaster Vazgen Saghatelyan. The two bloggers have been charged with hooliganism committed through the use of information or communication technologies widely dismissed as politically motivated.

“The human rights defender is supposed to protect citizens’ rights, yet for 11 days there has been no statement regarding Narek Samsonyan’s situation, nor has anyone from the office visited him,” journalist Davit Fidanyan said at the protest.

Fidanyan explained that the displayed food represented the daily meals Samsonyan would have received had he not chosen to forgo them in protest.

“We've brought this food here for the ombudsperson’s office to see that there is a political prisoner in Armenia who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike,” Fidanyan said. “We expect an official response.”