YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. A reporter of RFE/RL’s Armenia service was attacked on Saturday in Artashat, a town 30km southeast of Yerevan.

The reporter, Arus Hakobyan, was broadcasting live when a plain-clothed man attacked her, punching Hakobyan in the face and attempting to grab the camera.

A similar incident happened earlier on April 19 in Yerevan, when a reporter from the Union of Informed Citizens, Tirayr Muradyan, was attacked outside a governmental building by plain-clothed individuals. Police launched an investigation into the case.

Opposition protesters resumed the citywide demonstrations Saturday morning, starting a new march from Yerevan’s Nor Nork district in the eastern part of the city.

Deputy Police Chief of Yerevan Colonel Valery Osipyan approached the protesters and notified that the demonstrators are illegally restricting the movements of other citizens.

“We are receiving reports from citizens that they are unable to reach hospitals in time, some even couldn’t make it to the airport in time,” the Colonel said.

Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the rallies, argued that police shouldn’t restrict the demonstrators. The Colonel responded by saying that the rallies themselves are restricting the constitutional rights of many citizens.

Mr. Osipyan mentioned that many of the initiators of the rallies have used highly offensive language to insult police officers. “We will be forced to bring everyone to order. You, as an initiator of the rally, will be removed from here because you are unable to normally organize the rally,” the Colonel said.

The lawmaker however argued that they are holding a “spontaneous” rally and police cannot obstruct the march.

A clash erupted shortly thereafter, with one officer being injured and taken away by other cops. Several people were detained.

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.
More than 200 people were detained on April 20 during citywide demonstrations.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan urged the MP to begin dialogue, which the lawmaker rejected.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan