Armenian people demand release of detainees
By Rashid Shirinov
Citizens of Yerevan once again gathered to rally on the Freedom square on August 3.
Addressing the rally opposition leader from Armenian Pre-Parliament Party Harutyun Aslamazyan said the protesters demand the release of the people arrested by illegal regime.
Afterwards, protesters began a procession starting from the Freedom square in the downtown of Yerevan to the Presidential Palace. When entering the Baghramyan Avenue, the protesters were stopped by police headed by the Chief of Yerevan Police Valery Osipyan. He insisted that the march can be carried out only through the pavement and not the part of the street meant for driving.
Meanwhile, non-governmental organization Freedom House made a statement on the current situation in Armenia. The two-week seizure of the police station in Yerevan received unexpected public support, calling into question the future stability of the country.
“In light of the authorities’ demonstrated commitment to meeting even peaceful activism with excessive force, this is a dangerous reality for Armenian politics,” Freedom House stated.
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 demanded 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. By July 31, they were also released, and the armed group surrendered. The two-week seizure took lives of two Armenian police officers.
From the first day of the seizure, Armenian people started their protest actions against authorities by gathering on Yerevan’s streets. Following the rally in Sari Tagh district of Yerevan, the police brutally dispersed the protesters and arrested 165 people. As a result, 73 citizens addressed medical institutions with injuries of varying degrees of severity. Currently, 15 of them still stay in hospitals.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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