Rallies in Yerevan see no end
By Rashid Shirinov
Rallies on support of Sasna Tsrer group, who for the 12th day seize the building of a police station in Yerevan, are still ongoing. Activists keep gathering on the Freedom square of the capital and Khorenatsi street next to the building of seized police station. Some 150 people were detained yesterday on this street.
Moreover, police arrested 64 people on July 26 near the police station on suspicion of illegal acquisition and possession of weapons.
“We demand the authorities to release all detained by the police, and the President Serzh Sargsyan to resign,” the protesters on Khorenatsi street and the Freedom square claim every day. However, the authorities do not react on this statements. Police pulled together additional forces to the area adjacent to the police patrol service.
Yesterday, the police received a call about a bomb scare on the territory of the TV company ‘Armenia’ in Davitashen district of Yerevan. Currently, the police, emergency and cynologists with dogs work for detection of the bomb in the TV building.
This is not the first bomb alert for the last few days. The police previously received a false alarm on a bomb in the territory of Zvartnots airport.
Meanwhile, the court made the decision to arrest a member of the armed group Aram Manukian, who is currently placed in a hospital together with his father Pavlik Manukyan. Recenlty, the Armenian National Security Service has submitted a request for the arrest of Pavlik Manukyan too. Both Manukyans are charged in accordance with articles on seizure of buildings and structures and illegal possession of weapons and ammunition.
On July 17, a group of armed men entered the territory of the Armenian police patrol department in the Erebuni district of Yerevan and took several people hostage. The attackers demanded the release of Armenian opposition figure Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested nearly a month ago on charges of illegal possession of arms. They also claim resignation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
Following the long-lasting talks, the armed group on July 23 released all of the hostages. Nevertheless, they refused to lay arms down and surrender to the authorities.
On July 27, the group took new hostages. They were four ambulance doctors who arrived at the police station to assist the wounded in the shootout between the police and Sasna Tsrer members. Following that, one of the hostages was released, whilst the others are still being kept in the station.
From the first day of the seizure, Armenian people started their protest actions against authorities by gathering on the Khorenatsi street and some other main venues of the capital. Every evening they conduct rallies in front of the police cordon to stop the implementation of a special operation against the armed group.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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