YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Pavel Manukyan and Armen Bilyan, the two gunmen who stormed a police station in 2016 and took hostages as members of a group identifying themselves as Sansa Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun), declared a hunger strike today at a court hearing in Yerevan. Since the attack took place the two have been remanded into custody. Manukyan and Bilyan are demanding the court to change the measure of restraint against them and set them free.

Manukyan said he will not stop the hunger strike until the court changes the ruling.

“I am refusing medical examinations and medicine, in case of any future problems I am asking you not to blame the DOC hospital staff, they are treating us very well. I am declaring a hunger strike and I won’t stop until I’m released from jail,” he said.

Bilyan made a similar statement.

The court hearing adjourned until October 10.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan