Home / Armenia / Opposition Once Again Denied Holding a Rally in Liberty Square

Opposition Once Again Denied Holding a Rally in Liberty Square

Yerevan City Hall once again denied the Pan-Armenian National Movement (HHSh) political party’s request to hold a rally at Liberty (or Freedom) Square on Dec. 10.

Levon Zurabyan was designated as the official individual to represent HHSh during the discussion at the municipality today.

Also present during the discussion was US Embassy in Armenia Resident Legal Advisor Steve Kessler.

Yerevan City Hall denied the group’s request based on the fact that there’s already another event planned to take place at Liberty Square on Dec. 10. Zurabyan, however, objected to this reasoning, saying that when they put forth their request, there were no notice for another event on that date listed in the registry. 

Yerevan City Hall representative Gagik Baghdasaryan didn’t disaffirm this, saying that since the event was actually planned by the municipality, he doesn’t personally believe that the municipality has to inform itself of an event it is organizing (assuming perhaps that it did not need to be listed in the registry).

Zurabyan then noted that this was a violation of the law, since only events that are defined by procedure and made aware of can be a basis for denying the request. 

Baghdasaryan suggested to Zurabyan to take down this fact and present a corresponding appeal to the municipality.