Max HeyraudOn Saturday night around 1AM Armenian club Poligraf was raided by the RA Police. The club claims that the raid was illegal and those at the club including staff and patrons were subject to police brutality, humiliation, and trauma.
On Saturday the 22nd of April Armenian nightclub Poligraf located in the capital of Yerevan was raided by RA police. Members from the Poligraf club claim the raid was illegal and have started a petition to open the clubs doors again.
The club was described the events as illegal as the police broke in “without providing any legal basis“. The club has described the horrific events as it says clubbers and staff were made lay on the floor and brought to the police station. “Our staff and visitors were brutally beaten and stripped naked by the police department for search. We demand justice for all the victims“.
“We demand justice for everyone who has been harmed or traumatised as a result of this reprehensible act. But it’s not just the individuals who were directly impacted by the raid who have suffered. The entire club community is at risk, and the very foundation of our society is at stake. The raid represents an attack on dance, on creativity, on diversity, and on inclusion. Poligraf is a space where people can come together, dance, connect, and share their experiences.”
“We cannot allow the forces that seek to suppress our way of life to win. They want to silence our voices, suffocate our creativity, and impose their narrow-minded worldview on us. We must act now. It is up to other institutions, artists, musicians, writers, dancers and anyone who values creativity and diversity to join us and sign this petition in demand for the State of Armenia to open the doors of Poligraf.“
Georgian club Bassiani has stood in solidarity with Poligraf. Bassiani fell victim to a similar raid in 2018 when they were raided by armed police. “We express our full solidarity and support to Poligraf and wish power to the Armenian electronic music and club communities. We hope that everyone stays firm in defending what is achieved only by standing, dancing, and fighting together.”
You can sign the petition to demand for the State of Armenia to open the doors of Poligraf HERE.
