Draft Declaration of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on the Right of the People to Revolt
09-09-2016 18:46:18 | Armenia | Press release
The people are the only source of any power. Power in Armenia belongs to the people. The people exercise their power through free elections, referenda, as well as national and local self-government bodies and officials.
This prominent provision of law has been unattainable for the citizens of modern Armenia for a quarter of a century.
The public and state government institutes designated for exercise of public authority in Armenia, viz. the president, the government, the parliament, were not formed through free elections and thus are not administered by legitimately authorized officials. Judicial power also has not been formed through legitimate mechanisms, therefore cannot serve the people.
The usurpation of power by any organization or individual constitutes a crime. This prominent provision of law has also been violated in Armenia for more than two decades.
Usurpation of power has been committed by Levon Ter-Petrossyan, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan and their attendant political organizations. The established system was a relapse into the modified Soviet totalitarian political system and pursued policy contradicting the interest and goals of the Armenian people.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men [public authority], deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it and to institute a new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
The Armenian people did not bestow legitimate power on Levon Ter-Petrossyan or Robert Kocharyan, or Serzh Sargsyan, or on their attendant National Movement and the Republican Party. They usurped the power. In their fight against the usurpers people have used and exhausted all possible means and are exercising their right to revolt as the last resort.
After the April War in 2016 it is the duty of each and every person in Armenia to withstand any order that violates human rights, freedoms and their guarantees, as well as it is their right to use force to be able to prevent aggression.
It is the duty of the Armenian society to abolish, through revolt, the political system unbefitting its interest and goals.
Through revolt and resistance it is possible to prevent the disaster - Turkish and expansionist attacks threatening the Armenian people with genocide and expatriation anew.
The distinguishing characteristics of the revolt and resistance of 2016 are national liberation and national goals – the struggle against colonization, the restoration of territorial integrity and the establishment of democracy and constitutionality.
The revolt and resistance of 2016 announce elimination of dependence upon other countries and creation of independent, unified Armenian state. The demand of the revolt is to create independent Armenian statehood based on the principles of national sovereignty, democracy and republicanism.
The rule of law envisages guarantees against tyranny, usurpation of power and change in the constitutional order without the consent of the people. The widely-known right to revolt is such a guarantee.
Hence, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia:
•Expresses solidarity with the demands of the revolt of the “Sasna Dzrer” group,
•Condemns repressions against the participants of “Sasna Dzrer” national revolt,
•Calls for immediate release of all prisoners of conscience, as well as abatement of criminal prosecution against them.
ENGLISH 
Հայերեն
Русский
Դաս. հայերեն
French
