YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. All 233 protesters who were detained during Friday by Yerevan Police Department have been released, police said.

Earlier on April 19, police spokesman Ashot Aharonyan said law enforcement agencies will continue lawfully detaining those who are committing public order violations.

Opposition protests began in the Armenian capital of Yerevan a week ago.

The rallies are led by opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, who has called on his supporters to launch civil disobedience. 
The rallies began with a sit-in at France Square in downtown Yerevan, followed by sporadic marches in the city streets. The protesters even began blocking intersections and shutting down traffic. The situation escalated when the crowd of protesters and MP Pashinyan himself breached into the headquarters of Public Radio of Armenia, demanding airtime on April 14. 

Then on April 16, protesters and riot police clashed in a brief incident on Baghramyan Avenue – one of the main city streets housing the parliament, Constitutional Court and the Prime Minister’s residence. The Yerevan Police Department (YPD) has called on the opposition crowd to refrain from illegal actions and to maintain public order. 

The protesters largely ignored the YPD demands and continued the rally, initiating sit-ins outside governmental buildings, blocking traffic, obstructing public service staff from entering their offices, even deflating tires of official vehicles parked outside ministries. 
About 100 demonstrators were detained for misdemeanors on April 19. Several others have been placed under arrest for causing a brief riot earlier in central Yerevan. 107 people have been detained in about 6 hours Friday.

Police said they will continue lawfully detaining those who are violating public order.

The rallies resumed Saturday morning.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan