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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   29 March 2024

Police rule to cease Yerevan rally, formal notification given to opposition MP by deputy Police Chief

Police rule to cease Yerevan rally, formal notification given to opposition MP by deputy Police 
Chief

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. Police released a statement demanding opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and all other initiators of the ongoing demonstrations to cease the illegal rallies in all parts of Yerevan.

Police said they will lawfully disperse the rally if the demonstrators fail to comply within a reasonable period of time.

Deputy Police Chief of Yerevan Colonel Valery Osipyan personally issued the notification about the demand to the MP.

In the statement, police cited Paragraph 5 of Article 44 of the Armenian Constitution, which says that the freedom of assembly can only be restricted with the goal of protecting state security, prevention of crimes, protection of public order or protection of health and safety and fundamental rights and liberties of others.  The law on freedom of assembly says that the freedom to assemble can be restricted then the protection of the abovementioned rights are superior to the freedom of assembly.

“The constitutional rights of others, public interest have become a priority in this situation, moreover, the disproportional restrictions of these rights can’t be prevented anyhow else, because the numerous calls, warnings and lawful demands of the police have been completely ignored by both the initiator and participants of the rally. 

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. More than 200 were detained Friday, but all were subsequently released shortly thereafter.

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

The rallies resumed Saturday morning.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan








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