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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   29 March 2024

43 detained in 2 hours of Saturday protests

43 detained in 2 hours of Saturday protests

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. 43 demonstrators have been arrested as of 13:00 since Saturday morning as the opposition protests continue in Yerevan, Armenia.

Earlier today Yerevan police (YPD) issued a warning and notification to the protesters, saying the YPD will no longer tolerate the unlawful conduct of the initiators of the ongoing illegal rally and their supporters.

“Any kind of illegal action which will threaten state security, public order, the rights and liberties of others, will immediately be prevented or thwarted with any kind of proportionate method, including with the use of physical force or special measures,” police said in a statement.

Police recalled that the opposition MP has failed to notify authorities about organizing the rallies, as required by law.

YPD said the demonstrators are regularly violating public order and several provisions of the law on freedom of assembly.

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. 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.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan








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