Armenia faces systemic issues regarding the use of physical force,  Ombudsperson comments on Tsarukyan`s detention 

ArmInfo. Systemic problems persist in Armenia regarding the legality of the use of physical force and special means, as noted in a statement issued by Armenia's Ombudsperson, Anahit Manasyan, in response to the detention of Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party.

In this regard, the Ombudsperson considers it important to implement  systemic reforms and further improve law enforcement practices in  this area.

According to the source, disproportionate physical force was used  against Gagik Tsarukyan during his detention, despite the fact that  he initially offered no resistance, and the handcuffs used were  smaller than his wrists. On July 8, 2026, at the request of Human  Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan, representatives of the  Ombudsperson's Office visited the Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary  Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia to  meet with Gagik Tsarukyan and to familiarize themselves with the  protection of his rights. During the visit, they held a confidential  conversation with him, reviewed relevant documents, and discussed  issues related to his health, detention conditions, and the  protection of his rights. The contents of the confidential  conversation are confidential.

The Human Rights Defender emphasized that law enforcement agencies  play a key role in identifying violations and combating crime. "The  state is obliged to take all necessary and lawful measures to  prevent, detect, and properly investigate offenses. Achieving these  goals requires the use of various legal instruments, including  deprivation of liberty, the use of physical force, and other actions  provided for by law. At the same time, it is fundamentally important  that law enforcement and other authorized bodies exercise their  powers in strict compliance with human rights standards," the  Ombudsman noted.

The Human Rights Defender also emphasized that the European Court of  Human Rights has repeatedly stated that the use of physical force and  special means in each specific case must comply with the principles  of legality, necessity, and proportionality, and the legality of  their use must be assessed based on the specific factual  circumstances of the case.

She added that the legality of the use of handcuffs or physical force  cannot be determined solely by the fact of a person's detention, but  must be based on specific circumstances, such as resistance,  attempted escape, self-harm, or a real threat to the safety of  others.

Given that the widely circulated videos of Tsarukyan's arrest have  raised questions regarding the legal standards for the use of  handcuffs and physical force, the Human Rights Defender has initiated  a formal investigation.