The Goy Theatre demands to create until the final solution to the issue
The Goy Theatre has started a sit-in. The theatre demands an interim urgent solution from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, meaning that work should resume until the final resolution of the issue by the court and law enforcement agencies.
We demand an interim urgent solution so that we do not have to ‘wait in the streets’ for a decision. In other words, all of this can be used for the benefit of the artist. Let them open the doors, and let the artist create until the law enforcement agencies and the court provide a resolution to the issue.
Back in April, the theatre had started a sit-in. At that time, the demand was to not take away the right to create.
In April, people from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport said, ‘Stop, let’s talk, and figure out how we can find some kind of compromise.’ We spoke for 6 months and ended up with 0 results.
The chair of the board of directors of the Goy Theatre, director Sargis Arzumanyan, stated that currently the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, bypassing the law, has closed the door and left them “outside.”
Now we are unable to exercise our rights in any way. We have appealed to various authorities— the prosecutor’s office, the police, the courts. It feels like we are unwanted people in this country. Everything is being done to prevent us from creating.
The theatre also noted that after the demand for the sit-in, there has been no response from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport.
From October 28-30, the actors and creative staff of the Goy Theatre had spent the night at the theatre. The reason for this was the government’s decision to merge the Goy Theatre with the Sundukyan National Academic Theatre.
On November 2, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the activities of the Goy Theatre had been illegally suspended for 9 months.