6. Case studies I. The use of crowd-control technologies in Armenia Armenia has traditionally been a recipient of Russian-manufactured equipment. There have been a number of controversies around Armenia’s use of law-enforcement technologies, in particular in relation to the violence in Yerevan following the 2008 presidential elections. The violence in Yerevan, which claimed 10 lives, graphically illustrates what happens when the wrong equipment is used, as well as the dangers posed by the misuse of riot-control ammunition. Of the 10 fatalities (8 civilians and 2 members of the security forces), 9 have been directly attributed to the use of specific military or lawenforcement equipment.110 The Armenian Government’s response to a report by the UN Human Rights Committee on the second periodic report of Armenia gives further information on the types of systems and injuries sustained. The use of live ammunition, which caused 5 deaths during the protests, clearly has no utility in a properly managed crowd-control operation, and, regardless of the situation, a military-grade hand-grenade, as documented as being used, has no purpose in any crowd-control or public-order situation.111 The Armenian security forces had access to a range of less-lethal devices, although the Cheremukha-7 riot-control-agent-dispensing grenade was documented as causing three deaths. Other systems deployed included the KS23 carbine, a large (4-gauge by Western measurements) Russian-manufactured shotgun, given the designation ‘carbine’ because of its rifled barrel.112 This type of weapon is capable of delivering a wide variety of lethal as well as riotcontrol ammunition including the Cheremukha-7 system. The Armenian Government’s official response to the UN Human Rights Committee also included the following information: The conducted preliminary investigation with regard to the criminal cases revealed that weapons of different types and calibre and ‘KS-23’ type carbines considered as firearms for special purposes were used during mass disorders . . . The conclusions recieved [sic] recorded that gas grenades fired from cartridges of ‘Cheremukha-7’ type and the plastic plugs thereof were removed from bodies of 3 dead citizens and 3 citizens who received bodily injuries. In particular, gas grenades of ‘Cheremukha-7’ 110 Hammarberg (note 25). UN Human Rights Committee (2012), Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant, Armenia, CCPR/C/ARM/Q/2/Add.1, <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/AdvanceVersions/CCPR-C-ARM-Q-2-Add1.doc >. It should be noted that there is some ambiguity as to the origin of the grenade that is reported to have killed a member of the security forces. 112 According to Jane’s Policing and Homeland Security Equipment 2009–2010, the KS-23 23-mm special carbine ‘is intended for use with ammunition of both lethal and non-lethal types as well as tear/gas smoke cartridges. Differing types of gas cartridges produce gas clouds up to 30, 60 and 900 m3. In addition the weapons fire rounds with an armour and tyre-piercing capability. Specifications, Calibre: 23mm, Weight: 4 kg, Length 1,040 mm (KS-23); 645 mm (KS-23M) . . . Aiming Range 150 m’. 111