Summary
Administrative Arrest and Detention in Theory and Practice
The legal and procedural framework Departures from the framework in practice Growing political use of administrative detention since the mid-1990s The 2003 presidential election
Abuse of Administrative Arrest in the 2003 Presidential Election
The opposition demonstrations of February to April 2003 Rendering opposition rallies illegal
The campaign of arrests
February 21-27: the first wave of arrests March 1-17: conditional releases, continuing pressure March 18-22: the second wave of arrests April 7-9: around the presidential inauguration
Due process violations in administrative offenses proceedings
Incommunicado preliminary detention Flawed court hearings Barriers to appeal
Challenges from authoritative bodies to the abuse of administrative detention
The Code of Administrative Offenses and Armenia's international human rights commitments Challenges and justifications from Armenian higher judicial authorities
