Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

The seizure of a police station in the Erebuni district of Yerevan continues for the sixth day. The Sasna Tsrer, an armed group that attacked the building, still keeps four people in hostage. Not getting any sane response from the authorities during the last day, the rebels repeated their demands on a telephone call in a more rigid form.

That was caused by the yesterday’s brutal dispersing of the protests, coupled with the complete absence of any attempts of negotiations from the authorities.

Last day, Pavel Manukian, one of the group’s members, contacted Armenian media on the phone and repeated the demand on release of opposition activist Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested nearly a month ago on charges of illegal possession of arms. He then urged people to further support Sasna Tsrer in its confrontation with the Armenian government.

“The overthrow of the criminal-oligarchic regime and returning power to the people are our main and final requirements”. He claimed that the release of Jirair Sefilyan and other political prisoners will become possible only after the government changes.

Currently, several hundred activists are standing in the Khorenatsi street of the Armenian capital, expressing their support to the attackers in their demands on the resignation of the present Armenian government.

Armenian activists protesting on Khorenatsi street argue that 20 residents of Sari Tagh district of Yerevan have been stolen by the police during the day. In addition to the old requirements for the release of the already detained citizens, they claim to release the Sari Tagh residents and close the criminal cases against the detainees. “They will come again in the night,” Manukian said on the phone call about the recent dispersion of activists.

Armenian authorities fail to conduct negotiations with the attackers for the sixth day. It got so bad that the government urges some authoritative political and public figures to negotiate with Sasna Tsrer, Armenian Zhoghovurd newspaper states. Speaking on the silence of the Armenian President, Manukian claimed: “And when he is not silent? Especially in times of conspiracy.”

From the morning of July 17, a group of armed men seized the police station and took hostages demanding release of opposition activist Jirair Sefilyan, who was detained on charges of illegal possession of arms. After the authorities allegedly uncovered a plot to seize several buildings and telecommunication facilities in Yerevan. The attackers also demand resignation of the Armenian president.

During the seizure, one Armenian police officer was killed and four were injured. Currently, four hostages are held in the building, including the deputy chief of Armenian police major-General Vardan Yeghiazaryan and the deputy chief of Yerevan police, Colonel Valeri Osipyan.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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